A fire destroyed the traditional La Piedra confectionery in La Hoya and reduced it to ruins

PROVINCE

Smoke on the snow. Chubut began with the novelty of a disaster that, in the middle of the season, consumed a strategic resource for the mountain range, although there is still optimism.

A devastating fire destroyed the La Piedra confectionery at the La Hoya Mountain Activities Center in Esquel. The fire started after 7 am and because of its location at 1650, it was impossible for volunteer firefighters to arrive with the pumper to quell the incident. It could not be climbed by the alternative route called "De los guanacos" because of the heavy snow.
In the fire station, they reported in FM Tiempo Esquel just started the operation that had received the call at 8.12 and they went quickly to the base of the hill, where logistics has been badembled to reach the building by chairlift, with hand tools and equipment that can be transported in this way.
Meanwhile, the head of the second police station, Commissioner Javier Rehl, reported that the incident was out of control and that it was difficult to tackle the flames. The staff of this unit went to the mountains, as did the Forensic Division to take data that will turn to the skills that will be meticulously done.
A Corfo operator, Pedro Diaz, who works in the CAM, mountain spoke with the same radio and regretted what happened. "We are doing everything we can, even if we can not do much, we feel helpless and very sad," he said.
Shortly after the start of work in the building, whose dominant materials were wood and veneers, we tried to protect the quad chairlift wiring, so as not to take temperatures and be destroyed and destroyed. Isolate the igneous light source. the zeppelins who supplied gas to the confectionery.
When asked if they were handling a hypothesis of the incident, he said that they thought some devices would have been left lit or that a fire would have been poorly extinguished, although the causes are determined by the skills.
The La Hoya worker added that, as a precaution, the electricity service on the hill had been cut off and that the chair lift was only used to allow firefighters to enter the confectionery with tools and equipment that can be loaded. Above, they used water canyons to make snow because it was impossible to get near a car. "We do not have a lot of water or too much pressure," Pedro said.
The FAO office in the center of the city made a statement, noting the suspension of ski activities to allow exceptional staff to extinguish the fire.
Several teams from the Barracks of Esquel participated in the fight against fire with the means that they had at hand and managed to extinguish it around noon, although the facilities were reduced in ruins, with some sticks and badges of the damaged structure. The construction of La Piedra dates from 1984.
For his part, the mayor of Esquel, Sergio Ongarato, hardly known, contacted the Secretary of Tourism of the Nation, Alejandro Lastra, who promised the support of the national government in the actions to promote the destination in terms and rates, and the distribution of La Hoya ski center. In the afternoon, the communal leader held meetings and communications with provincial authorities, in order to combine the criteria of urgency. #

confectionery

Esquel

fire

The Hoya