On Saturday afternoon, February 21, firefighters were called to the Multicomercio building in Guayaquil due to a new report of smoke emission. This building, located at the intersection of Cuenca and Eloy Alfaro streets, had already been the site of a major fire on February 11, which took 36 hours to control and had prompted ongoing operations.

Since the morning of the reported incident, smoke was visibly rising from the building, specifically from the Eloy Alfaro side, leading to the immediate deployment of two firefighting units. The firefighters are currently working to cool down hot spots amid the debris. Fortunately, rescue officials have stated that the situation does not appear to be severe this time.

The previous fire had a significant impact, displacing more than 100 families who lived in or worked around the Multicomercio. Due to the ongoing risks, access to the area has been restricted within a 100-meter perimeter, affecting both residents and local businesses.