Nearly 60 hours have passed since a severe fire broke out at the Multicomercio building located at the intersection of Eloy Alfaro and Cuenca streets in the Bahía of Guayaquil. As of 6:30 PM on February 13, white smoke and the smell of burning plastic were still present in the vicinity, indicating ongoing risks despite firefighters managing to control the main blaze. Five active hot spots remain in the so-called 'ground zero,' posing a threat of re-ignition as emergency units work diligently to quell any smoldering embers.

Emergency responders are employing thermal drones to pinpoint heat radiating from the area, enabling them to tackle the remnants of the fire in a focused manner. The situation is further complicated by the structural collapse of two out of five towers of the building, which occurred due to temperatures reaching up to 700 degrees Celsius. Lieutenant Colonel Leopoldo Terán, the second chief of the Guayaquil Fire Department, noted the challenges in accessing these hot spots because of the compromised structural integrity of the building, raising alarms of potential further collapse.

With ongoing efforts from emergency teams, the focus is not just on extinguishing the fire, but also on ensuring the safety of surrounding structures and the public. The worrying scenario underscores the critical need for ongoing vigilance and rapid response capabilities in urban fire management, especially given the risks posed by structural failures in densely populated areas like Guayaquil.