By José Antonio Pérez
A fiery blaze on the evening of August 14th consumed at least six rooms on the second floor of the abandoned Playa Hermosa hotel.
Luis Armando Flores Oropeza, Deputy Director of Civil Protection and Fire Department, reported while the cause of the fire is still under investigation it did not cause any injuries to individuals. It took the local Fire Department about 2½ hours to control the blaze, and use of nearly 67,000 liters of water.
As the building has been abandoned for decades, and therefore without electricity, it is believed the fire may have been caused from lit cigarette butts or burning of trash. This remains under investigation.
In its heyday, the Playa Hermosa hotel was the final spot along what is now Calle 13, with steps leading down to the beach (which later was filled in and now houses a commercial center, residences, and the Peñasco del Sol Hotel).
As reported in 2014 when the sailfish monument at the start of Calle 13 was inaugurated, the statue was actually in honor of the first sailfish sign in the 50s built to direct people to Playa Hermosa. Some recalled at the time Playa Hermosa was possibly one of the best hotels on the beach, and the owner would take people on fishing trips.