A blaze that destroyed Mexico’s Royal Yak Casino and forced the property’s evacuation on Thursday was blamed on a short circuit. The fire broke out when welders were working on the building. Although the crews attempted to extinguish the fire, it spread quickly through the Culiacan, Mexico complex, according to the DailyMail.com report on Friday.
Eyewitness Accounts and Building Collapse
Eyewitnesses described portions of the building coming down as flames spread. Huge, dark plumes of smoke billowed from the building, and fireballs erupted. It’s possible that the fire led to explosions as well. Fire crews battled the blaze for approximately two hours before the fire was extinguished, but despite efforts by about 88 firefighters, the casino burned to the ground, according to the Mirror.
Victims and Medical Treatment
Three victims were reported in the aftermath of the fire. One man, named Alejandro, 39, suffered second-degree burns on his hands and back. He was treated at a local hospital, but no update on his current condition has been provided. Two other victims went into shock and were treated оn the scene by paramedics. The fire led tо the evacuation оf around 415 employees and 232 visitors from the casino, as well as from other sites located іn the Cinépolis Plaza shopping center. A nearby school was also evacuated, but fortunately, nо students were injured. Many eyewitnesses chose not tо leave the scene, instead staying behind tо capture photographs and videos оf the fire.
Destruction of Other Properties
In addition to the casino, the Air Jump Trampolines Park, which is a play area for children, was also destroyed in the fire.
Arson Ruled Out
During a press conference on Friday, Feliciano Castro, Secretary General of the Mexican State of Sinaloa, confirmed that the fire was not the result of arson. “Indeed, the line of progress reported by the prosecution rules out that it was provoked,” Castro stated when addressing reporters. It was determined that the fire was caused by a short circuit while the welders were making repairs to the complex.
Location and Ownership of the Casino
The Royal Yak Casino is located approximately 38 miles from the Gulf of California. It is owned by Grupo Condere, a company based in Spain. Grupo Condere owns other casinos in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Panama, and Italy.
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