AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize by District Stann Creek Fire at Turtle Inn

One of Belize's most exclusive and highly rated resorts, the Turtle Inn in Placencia had a fire today. We are told that the fire started in the Kitchen and spread to the lobby area. But, it was contained there and did not affect the rooms, and the larger compound.

It caused quite a commotion on the Peninsula since Turtle Inn is known as one of the top draws for tourists and the high season is coming in a month. But, we are told the damages, while significant, are manageable.

Turtle Inn is part of the Family Coppolla Hideaways group - owned by famed Godfather Director, Francis Ford Coppolla.

Channel 7

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Turtle Inn Burns in Placencia

A well-known resort on the Placencia Peninsula suffered a huge blow this afternoon after a massive fire gutted a large portion of Turtle Inn Resort. The beachside hideaway property was acquired by Francis and Eleanor Coppola in 2001; the twenty-five-room seafront property has thatched cottages, a wine cellar and sandy beaches. This afternoon, a fire which is believed to have started in the kitchen destroyed the accounting office and the cellar stocked with a wide variety of wines and spirits. Billowing smoke could be seen from the skyline in the peninsula. Firefighters responded quickly to control the blaze and luckily neither the guests nor staff was injured in the blaze. News Five spoke this evening with President of the Placencia Chapter of Belize Tourism Industry Association, Jodie Leslie.� She says that the umbrella organization is here to support the resort owners at this time.

Jodie Leslie, President, B.T.I.A. Placencia

"As far as the office knows, they had a fire; the fire affected their wine cellar, it affected their kitchen; it affected their accounting office - those are the areas of impact. We do not know exactly how the fire started; they are assuming that it was from the kitchen which is a possibility, but that is not confirmed. My office has been trying to get in touch with Turtle Inn to find out if everybody is okay and if there is anything that the B.T.I.A. in Placencia, as well as the national office has been in contact with my office, trying to find out what all was going on and what all we knew. As far as we know, everybody is safe, everybody is okay. They have structural damage. Right now we try to be there on a support level; that's about as much as we can do. Whatever they need or they feel they need from our office to help them; we will be there to do so-the national office as well. One of the things I know the girls are doing is trying to get the information in regards to what really happened, what they can do. We know that the fire is under control at this point. The fire department did their thing; they did their best. And at this point we are just a support team."

The manager of the resort, Martin Krediet, left the country today en route to the Sea and Taste Belize Festival in Florida.�

Channel 5

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Reports from the Placencia Peninsula are that the Turtle Inn Resort's main kitchen and wine cellar caught fire sometime around 3PM on Thursday, October 5, 2017. Residents near the area indicated an hour later that the fire seems to be under control.

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Turtle Inn's Tender Thatch Caught Fire

The fire at Turtle Inn Resort between miles 22 and 23 on the Placencia Peninsula started when a thatch roof over the kitchen caught fire. That's what police say after a two hour firefight that saved the rooms, but saw the offices, the kitchen area and the winery destroyed.

The blaze started at around 2:45 when five cooks were inside the Kitchen when they smelled smoke and saw a small area where the metal chimney exits through the thatched roof engulfed in flames. They tried to put it out, but the fire caught and quickly began to spread causing the rest of the thatched roof to be destroyed.

The entire wooden bungalow quickly caught on fire and the National Fire Service along with employees of the resort and villagers worked to put out the fire - which took about two hours to control.

Police report that the building is insured, but the value of damages to the building and its contents are yet to be ascertained.

Channel 7

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Turtle Inn kitchen burns; hotel still in business

There are details tonight about the fire that struck the famous Turtle Inn in Placencia.� The resort owned by the renowned filmmaker, Francis Ford Coppola, suddenly went up in flames on Thursday afternoon but damage was confined to one area and guests were not affected. While it was back in business today, the main restaurant is closed.� The fire erupted from the pizza oven in the kitchen at about two-thirty. Five cooks on duty reported that they smelt smoke and upon making checks they noted that the area where the metal chimney exits through the thatched roof was engulfed in flames. The fire spread quickly through the thatch roof and the Belize National Fire Service along with assistance from the public, were able to bring the fire under control. The building that was destroyed houses the offices, kitchen and winery which was well stocked. Employees are today picking up the pieces. Luvia Martinez, the hotel's house manager, explains.

On the Phone: Luvia Martinez, Turtle Inn Resort

"We did suffer a fire yesterday, actually a kitchen fire so we lost our kitchen. We are back in operation definitely, with the exception of our main restaurant; so we are in operation."

Aaron Humes

"There was no damage to any of the condos, other guest rooms and so on?"

Luvia Martinez

"No, no. Our guest rooms, our cottages, they were not affected; it was only our kitchen that was affected in the fire. And of course, luckily no one was injured as far as staff and also guests, so everybody is in good spirits right now. So no, the only thing we lost was our kitchen."

Aaron Humes

"Any indication, at least from the Fire Department or Police about what specifically caused the fire?"

Luvia Martinez

"The fire actually started off in the kitchen, it was in our pizza station oven in the chimney."

The business is insured but the total costs are not known at this time.

Channel 5