UPDATE 2-Peruvian prosecutor investigating deaths of two McDonald's employees

A Peruvian prosecutor's office said it was investigating the death of two teenaged employees in a McDonald's-branded restaurant in Lima, in an incident that has spurred protests against the fast-food giant in the South American nation. The employees, Alexandra Porras, 18, and Carlos Campo, 19, were electrocuted on Sunday in Pueblo Libre, a district of the capital, while cleaning the kitchen, police said.

Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc, which owns and operates McDonald's restaurants in Peru and elsewhere in Latin America as an independent franchisor, released a statement on Twitter saying it was cooperating with authorities in the investigation. It said it had shut all its outlets in the country for two days for mourning and that all staff would be paid during the closure.

The U.S.-based McDonald's Corp said in a statement that it was "profoundly saddened by the tragic accident that occurred at a McDonald's-franchised restaurant in Peru." It said it was working with its local partner that was conducting "a thorough investigation with local authorities." Local police and a Lima-based prosecutor are investigating the incident, the police and prosecutor's office said.

The Peruvian Ministry of Labor said it would also carry out an investigation. The Peruvian prosecutor's office said that the police investigation would include taking statements from restaurant owners and employees and that the restaurant's security and safety measures would be examined.

At least 20 people in the residential area of Miraflores held a protest on Tuesday night outside a different McDonald's location, in response to the employees' deaths, calling for better working conditions. At least two young people who said they have worked for the chain in Peru have taken to social media since Sunday to share experiences of unsafe working conditions, low wages, and unpaid work.

A McDonald's spokesperson declined to comment on the accusations but said the safety of crew members at any McDonald's was a "global priority." Media representatives for Arcos Dorados did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the accusations.

A protester, Luis Chuecca, told Reuters during the demonstration: "We are outraged. We are citizens concerned about this situation of job insecurity. We believe it is important to call attention to working conditions to claim what is fair."