Fire in Tulum forces evacuation of 1,000 people

Blaze severely damaged several businesses including shops and restaurants in the Lun Balam Plaza in Tulum's hotel zone

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Fire rages in Tulum´s Hotel Zone on Wednesday night. Photo: Image Capture from video source

A fire that began around 10 p.m. Wednesday at the Jungle Market clothing store damaged several Tulum businesses and forced around 1,000 people to evacuate their quarters.

Firefighters extinguished the flames by 1:30 a.m. but remained at the scene until 3:30. The store was a total loss, but no injuries were reported and the source of the fire was unknown.

On Twitter, several users posted videos of the fire and speculated that flames spread so fast because of the traditional Mayan thatch roofs used in many of the structures. Last November, a fire at the Moon Place hotel in nearby Cancun started when a thatched palapa caught fire and quickly spread. 

Social media feeds reflected widespread discontent with authorities in Tulum, who many perceive as not doing enough to protect locals and visitors from fire hazards.

In recent months state authorities in Quintana Roo have also come under intense criticism for allegedly lax regulations with respect to COVID-19, which have allowed large restaurants, bars and nightclubs to continue operating at seemingly normal capacity.

Source: Milenio

Carlos Rosado van der Gracht
Carlos Rosado van der Gracht
Born in Mérida, Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican/Canadian blogger, photographer and adventure expedition leader. He holds degrees in multimedia, philosophy, and translation from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
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