Over 70 shops in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, were destroyed by a fire that broke out in the early hours of Friday, with no casualties or deaths reported. 

According to preliminary reports from authorities, the fire started around 1:15 a.m. in the restaurant area located on Avenida del Morro, along the beach strip of Punta Zicatela, a coastal destination popular among surfers and tourists looking for a laid-back atmosphere.   

Head of Oaxaca’s Heroic Fire Department Jorge Arturo Rivas Fernández del Río said that his station received the fire report at 1:30 a.m., after which emergency services arrived at the scene immediately. Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire until 7:30 a.m. 

Because the affected area was mostly made up of palapas — shelters with thatched roofs made from dried palm leaves and wood — Rivas said the fire spread rapidly. 

“It was a large-scale fire due to the high number of flammable materials found in the area. We’re talking about palapas, dry palms and wood,” Rivas explained to local media, adding that no casualties were reported thanks to the prompt actions of visitors in the area.  

Videos of the fire that circulated on social media show the area completely engulfed in flames, as firefighters, civil protection personnel and volunteers try to extinguish the blaze.  

Román Valencia, the municipal president of Santa María Colotepec, the town in which Punta Zicatela is located, said that the fire resulted in total losses for many businesses in the area. 

While there is no official statement as to what caused the fire and investigations are still ongoing, Rivas said the event was likely caused by a short circuit.  

Following the fire, the Santa María Colotepec City Council called on residents to join the cleanup efforts. City officials, members of the Mexican Army, firefighters, police officers, members of various organizations and volunteers all joined together to assist with the cleanup.

In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the Santa María Colotepec City Council announced that, beyond the affected area, restaurants, hotels and tourist areas in Punta Zicatela continue to operate normally, highlighting that “now more than ever,” Punta Zicatela welcomes tourists and visitors. 

“In light of recent reports, we want to clarify that Punta Zicatela is not closed and continues to operate normally,” the statement reads. “Restaurants, hotels, shops and tourist areas are welcoming visitors with the warm hospitality that characterizes our region.” 

With reports from El Sol de México and Quadratín Oaxaca