Announcements

**arooni** · #1 4 Jan 2013

Hey folks; just heard this news... I'm in Santiago now and it looks like this is really going to mess up my plans to cross to Bariloche in Argentina. Thought you might like to know about it as well. Would love any ideas on other crossings near this region you can recommend...

http://www.santiagotimes.cl/chile/tr...-and-argentina

or, pasting the contents below,
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Fire closes major mountain pass between Chile and Argentina
WEDNESDAY, 02 JANUARY 2013 20:34 WRITTEN BY AMELIA DUGGAN SHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARE ON TWITTER SHARE ON EMAIL MORE SHARING SERVICES
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Local authorities announce traffic diversions for at least 15 days.

One of the major border passes between Chile and Argentina will be closed for at least two weeks following a major fire on the evening of Dec. 31, which razed the entire 500 square foot Cardenal Antonio Samoré border compound.

Intendant Jaime Brahm surveys the ashes of the Cardenal Samoré border crossing. Photo courtesy of Intendencia de Los Lagos.

"The fire started outside of public service hours and I thank God no one was injured in the fire,” said Jaime Brahm, intendant of the Los Lagos Region where the fire occurred. “The losses exceed 1.5 billion pesos (US$3 million). We must add to this the destruction of the latest technological equipment worth 340 million pesos (US$700,00) that had been delivered last week."

The border crossing, located approximately 600 miles south of Santiago in the southern Andes, is the second largest border crossing between the Chile and Argentina and permits around 7,000 people passage each day during high season.

Motorists wishing to travel between the neighboring countries have been instructed to use the Mahuil Malal pass while heavy vehicles have been diverted to the Pino Hachado crossing, both located in the Araucanía Region slightly north of Cardenal Samoré.

Brahm said that in the process of reopening the Cardenal Samoré pass, priority will be given to cargo trucks wishing to access the southern region of Chile, in particular the provinces of Palena and Punta Arenas that rely heavily on trade with Argentina. A target of fifteen days was set to open a temporary access route exclusively for truck use, while tourists and motorists are expected to be on diversion for at least a month.