A massive fire at the Multicomercio complex in Guayaquil, Ecuador, resulted in the partial collapse of two towers and required the intervention of over 200 firefighters.
In just one week, Guayaquil firefighters have had to extinguish two large fires in the southern and central-southern areas of the city. The first incident occurred at a motorcycle assembly plant in Guasmo, which prompted a significant emergency response. However, the situation escalated dramatically with the recent fire at the Multicomercio complex, prompting further mobilization of firefighting resources and equipment.
The fire at Multicomercio was particularly intense, with temperatures reaching up to 700 °C, as reported by Martín Cucalón, the chief of the Guayaquil Fire Department. This severe heat led to the partial collapse of two out of five towers on the site, which consists of 6,000 square meters. The impacted towers included a parking structure and a residential building, both of which collapsed vertically due to the intensity of the flames.
The situation underscores the challenges faced by firefighters in urban areas, especially concerning large structures with metal columns that can become dangerously compromised in such extreme heat conditions. The emergency response involved 38 units and a significant number of firefighters, highlighting the risks to public safety in densely populated areas amidst such disasters.
