The National Directorate of Firefighters managed to “mitigate the intensity” from the flames of the Punta Shopping fireas reported by its spokesman, Pablo Benítez, to The Observer.
The situation at 7:00 in the morning of this Monday, August 8 “is already different, more favorable,” he said; nevertheless, He stressed that “there is still no talk of control” of the fire.
The fire broke out on Saturday at the Tienda Inglesa store located in the commercial center of Punta del Este, Maldonado; Although the risk had been reduced in the afternoon, on Sunday morning the fire reignited and caused collapses and damage to 80% of the structure of the entire building. According to the Fire Department, the smoke and gases from the initial fire would have spread through the building’s air ducts, which caused the situation to worsen.
Thus, in a statement released this Monday morning, it was reported that firefighters established “two main points of attack towards the interior” of the mall: one in front of the premises, in the northeast sector (the entrance to Roosevelt Avenue) and another in the south (on the parking lot between San Francisco and Pascual Gattas streets). “In both cases with high pressure and good flow of water, entering with several attack groups, through their own openings and through a hole made in the wall,” the document details.
Points of attack were also placed from the roof of the mall and in “specific sectors” inside the building.
Firefighters continue to work “to prevent the fire from continuing to advance towards the center and east sector,” the statement read. No injuries have been reported so far.
The authorities will investigate the specific causes of the fire once it is completely extinguished.
