Flames destroyed historic teak wood Yangon hotel in Myanmar

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On Thursday, a fire tore through a luxury teak wood hotel in Yangon city of Myanmar and killed one person. The fire destroyed the iconic resort which is famous among foreign visitors. A large number of firefighters tried to stop flames which broke out at around 3’Oclock. The firefighters said that there were unable to stop the blazes from consuming the lakeside Kandawgyi Palace Hotel. A reporter of AFP was also present at the scene; he saw a white plastic sheet covering a body retrieved from the fire. But, he didn’t mention or confirmed further casualties. A representative from Htoo Group which owns the hotel, Htay Lwin said that the hotel administration is trying to identify the body.

It is hard to mention the reasons behind the fire incident and the investigation has been initiated. He added that more than 140 guests were present inside the hotel when the fire started. The colonial-era structure is owned by a Myanmar businessman notorious for making his fortune under the former junta. Tay Za – a controversial tycoon, who spun millions of dollars through his close military links, founded the Htoo Group, which spans construction, timber, resorts and an airline. Locals lamented the loss of one of Yangon’s iconic buildings, which was perched on a hill by a large picturesque lake in the center of the city. A witness Kyi Kyi (standing near the still-smoldering ruins of the building) told AFP that “We’re sad that such a historic and beautiful place was completely destroyed”.