Three Major Fires in One Week Devastate Downtown Guayaquil — 100 Families Displaced, Buildings Collapsed, and a City on Edge

Downtown Guayaquil has been burning — and the government says it's not by accident.

The Timeline

Three major fires struck Guayaquil in rapid succession:

Fire #1: Guasmo Norte Motorcycle Factory — February 9

A massive fire broke out at approximately 3:25 AM at a motorcycle assembly factory operated by Cooperativa Primero de Marzo in the Guasmo Norte sector. The blaze required 62 firefighting units and over 300 firefighters, making it one of the largest fire responses in recent years. The factory roof collapsed entirely. Fire Chief Jaime Cucalón described it as "uno de los incendios más grandes de los últimos años." The fire was classified at Alarm Level 3 (the highest severity) and took over 8 hours to reach 90% containment. No casualties were reported.

Fire #2: Multicomercio Building — February 11

The most destructive fire erupted on the morning of February 11 at the Multicomercio building complex on Eloy Alfaro and Cuenca streets, in the heart of Guayaquil's Bahía commercial district.

The numbers are staggering:

| Metric | Detail | |--------|--------| | Duration | 50+ hours of continuous firefighting | | Temperature | Up to 700°C | | Units deployed | 22 firefighting units, ~105 firefighters rotating | | Towers affected | 2 of 4 towers partially collapsed | | Families displaced | ~100 families | | Apartments damaged | 80-100 | | Commercial spaces | 50 establishments affected | | People impacted | ~400 | | Pets rescued | 100+ by Animal Welfare teams |

Firefighting crews came from 12 surrounding cantons — Samborondón, Daule, Nobol, Milagro, Salitre, La Libertad, Babahoyo, Yaguachi, Salinas, Colimes, Balzar, and Machala. The building stored highly flammable merchandise including makeup, tires, clothing, and plastics. Metal columns weakened at extreme temperatures, leading to cascading structural collapse.

Human Development Minister Zaida Rovira confirmed approximately 100 affected families. Most relocated to relatives' homes rather than shelters. The municipality activated support tents, rental assistance bonds, contingency bonds, and humanitarian aid.

The building has been declared uninhabitable and faces demolition.

Fire #3: Chile and Sucre Streets — February 15

A third fire ignited on Sunday morning, February 15, at the intersection of Chile and Sucre streets — just blocks from the Multicomercio site. It was elevated to Alarm Level 3 by noon. Welding work at the site is being investigated as a possible cause.

The fire spread from one commercial establishment to adjacent spaces, a condominium, and a residential dwelling. Workers were evacuated amid heavy black smoke. One witness told El Universo: "Salimos corriendo porque todo se llenó de humo negro." (We ran because everything filled with black smoke.)

Merchandise packed into the mezzanine — wallets, umbrellas, plastics — was highly flammable and physically blocked firefighters from interior operations. Assistant Fire Chief Leopoldo Terán reported: "Al momento de abrir nos encontramos con otra pared llena de material." (When opening walls, we encountered another wall full of material.)

The "Shadow Structures" Claim

Interior Minister John Reimberg made an explosive claim hours after the third fire:

"Los hechos ocurridos en Guayaquil no son fortuitos. Hay estructuras operando en la sombra para provocar violencia y desorden."

(The events in Guayaquil are not coincidental. There are structures operating in the shadows to provoke violence and disorder.)

The government has requested a Prosecutor's Office investigation into the fires and ordered the Guayas Governor to conduct control operations. The Ministry of Government stated it is "not acceptable that emergencies keep repeating without accountability."

Carnival Events Relocated

The third fire forced the relocation of Guayaquil's Carnival concerts:

• Original venue: Malecón and República (downtown)
• New venue: Acoustic shell, Samanes Park
• Monday Feb 16: Matcha y Daddy, Guayacán Orquesta, Mapalé, Héctor Jaramillo, El Bravo de la Salsa (5 PM - midnight)
• Tuesday Feb 17: Rubén el Rey, Christian Fernández, Unízono (5 PM - midnight)

What This Means for Expats

• Avoid downtown Guayaquil: Chile Street remains restricted, the Multicomercio site has a 200-meter safety perimeter, and persistent heat sources remain buried under debris. Stay clear of the Bahía commercial district
• If you live downtown: Check your building's fire safety compliance. The government has announced enforcement sweeps targeting irregular merchandise storage, particularly involving lithium batteries
• Air quality: Extended fires at 700°C produce significant particulate pollution. If you're in central Guayaquil, consider limiting outdoor exposure and using air filtration
• Carnival plans: If you planned to attend concerts at Malecón, note the venue change to Samanes Park. Check social media for updated schedules
• The bigger picture: Three major fires in six days — combined with the government's "shadow structures" accusation — suggest Guayaquil is in a period of acute institutional and security crisis that goes beyond routine urban risk

Sources: El Comercio, El Universo, Expreso, Ecuavisa, Primicias, Extra