Overview
- The blaze started late on Monday night, around 9:20 p.m., in the ex‑motel’s central hall and spread quickly to the laundry, machine room and several rooms.
- More than 30 volunteer firefighters from Villa La Angostura and municipal water tankers fought the fire, which was largely extinguished by midnight with operations continuing into the early morning.
- Five firefighters were taken to Hospital Dr. Oscar Arraíz for smoke and carbon monoxide inhalation, were stabilized and later returned to their station.
- Fourteen families who lived permanently in the motel self‑evacuated and suffered heavy material losses, leaving multiple households displaced though there were no reported fatalities.
- The wooden structure and internal layout accelerated fire spread and complicated containment, and authorities are conducting pericias to determine the cause while municipal agencies provide emergency support and assess housing needs.