Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski on Friday paid homage to three Fire Department members, who died while on duty in a Lima shoe-factory blaze days ago.
At the Government Palace's front, Mr. Kuczynski joined the funeral procession carrying firefighters' bodies following mass held at Sagrario Church, located next to Lima's Cathedral.
The Head of State was joined by Prime Minister Fernando Zavala, Justice and Human Rights Minister Marisol Perez Tello, Judiciary Chairman Victor Ticona and Attorney General Pablo Sanchez.
Coffins containing the bodies of brave firefighters Alonso Salas Chanduví, Raúl Sánchez Torres and Eduardo Jiménez were carried on shoulders of relatives, friends and colleagues.
Mr. Kuczynski affirmed on Thursday firemen should receive some kind of compensation or pension for their work which, while voluntary, must be acknowledged by society due to the major service they provide.
"We need to come up with some sort of compensation or pension for firefighters. I'm aware that they are volunteers, but society should give something back to them for their service. This does not happen nowadays," he said.
In this respect, the Executive currently analyzes the possibility of granting life annuity —rather than social security's current S/45,000 (about US$13,636) grant— to the families of firefighters who die while on duty.