A fire on Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, caused vast material damage on Monday and destroyed almost a dozen businesses. A Civil Protection officer suffered smoke inhalation but there were no fatalities.

The blaze started in Mocambo restaurant just after 11 a.m. on the waterfront when a deep-fryer burst into flames.

The force and direction of the wind pushed the flames from Mocambo’s thatched palm roof towards neighboring restaurants Miramar and La Luna. The blaze spread farther to engulf other neighboring businesses, including El Picus, Artensanías Huchim and Muelle 7.

The fire department, the navy, Civil Protection officials and representatives from the water utility Aguakán arrived to help extinguish the blaze and prevented it from reaching a nearby gas station.

The establishments affected were almost completely destroyed.

Sources: El Universal (sp), Diario de Quintana Roo (sp)