Huge fire rips through wedding marquee with flames pouring down on guests
Some 850 people were inside the 'exclusive' wedding venue.
Wedding guests fled for their lives as flames tore through an ‘exclusive’ venue, leaving five people hospitalised.
Video footage shows people grabbing their drinks and running as flames poured down and burning debris fell from the ceiling.
The blaze spread rapidly, jumping to tablecloths and fake plants.
Roughly 850 people were at the upmarket venue when the fire started around 10.30pm on Saturday.
Everyone in the building was evacuated, but five people with burns were taken to the nearest hospital. Among them were the wedding DJs.
A further 25 people were treated for smoke inhalation but injuries were minor.
No one died in the incident in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
The fire erupted at ‘one of the most exclusive and popular venues for weddings and events’, as the Hacienda Los Arcángeles describes itself.
The cause of the blaze is uncertain but officials say it may have been sparked by a short fuse.
It took firefighters less than two hours to put out the flames that reached several metres high.
They were still trying to extinguish smouldering debris the following morning.
Mauricio Trejo, mayor of San Miguel de Allende, thanked emergency responders for saving everyone’s lives with their quick response.
He said: ‘I congratulate both fire departments, the Civil Protection, and the Municipal Police for successfully carrying out the evacuation to save lives.’
The company behind the venue said it didn’t sustain major damage in the blaze.
A colonial-style building of adobe, quarry and stone, the Hacienda sits among green gardens in ‘one of the most beautiful cities in the world’.
The central Mexican venue boasts an international network of event and wedding planners.
Work is already underway to repair and reopen the Hacienda Los Arcángeles.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
For more stories like this, check our news page.
