TUMEREMO, BOLÍVAR STATE, VENEZUELA – NOVEMBER 8, 2026 Tragic fire broke out in the early morning hours at a residential property in the Zabaleta sector. Flames engulfed a property associated with Eduardo José Natera Balboa, known by the nicknames “Run” and “Pelón Natera,” who is described as the leader of the armed group 3R operating in the area of local gold mines. Four people died in the fire, all reportedly members of his family.
Eduardo José Natera Balboa
Among the victims were two of Natera’s daughters, aged 9 and 16. The other fatalities were relatives Roderic Quiñones Merchán, who was a member of the Anzoátegui Fútbol Club soccer team, and 28-year-old Roberic Marchán Quiñones. Their exact family relationship to Natera was not specified.
According to preliminary findings by firefighters and civil protection personnel, the fire may have originated in an electrical generator located in the house’s garage. Investigators are considering the possibility of an electromechanical malfunction or a fuel leak that may have caused a short circuit and subsequent explosion. The fire spread to the living quarters and garage within minutes, also destroying two vehicles, a Toyota Fortuner and a Toyota Land Cruiser.
Emergency crews had to break through several walls to gain access to the property. According to one account, the two girls were found alive but died shortly after being transported to the hospital due to severe smoke inhalation and cardiac arrest. The other two bodies were found inside the house. Two private water tankers also assisted with extinguishing the fire because the necessary firefighting equipment was unavailable at the scene.
The cause of the fire has not yet been definitively established. Available information suggests that it may have been an accident caused by a technical malfunction of the generator rather than a deliberate attack. Venezuelan authorities continue to investigate the case.
