SANTO DOMINGO – A massive fire engulfed the San Miguel hardware store on Independencia Avenue in the National District on Friday afternoon, triggering a massive emergency response. The blaze, first reported at approximately 5:20 p.m., required the deployment of over 150 firefighters and 15 emergency units who battled the flames for several hours.
José Luis Frómeta Herasme, Chief of the National District Fire Department, directed the complex operation across the establishment’s three levels. The presence of highly flammable materials, including paints, wood, and various combustible products, presented a significant challenge, accelerating the fire’s spread and intensifying the efforts required to contain it.
Firefighting strategies were executed through four coordinated attack points: the building’s front, both lateral sides, and the rear, which housed the most combustible inventory. Despite the severity of the fire, Chief Frómeta Herasme confirmed that the blaze was successfully confined to the structure and, crucially, that no human casualties were reported. All individuals were accounted for and had evacuated prior to the firefighters’ arrival.
As night fell, reinforcements continued to arrive at the scene, which was secured by a cordon manned by joint patrols of the National Police and the Armed Forces, supported by 911 emergency units. The dramatic incident drew large crowds of onlookers, who recorded plumes of dense black smoke billowing from the building well into the evening.
In a heartening subplot to the disaster, responders rescued three cats from within the hardware store. The felines, suffering from smoke inhalation, were immediately administered oxygen by firefighters to stabilize their condition.
Miguelina Saviñón, a neighboring business owner, recounted learning of the fire while away on a family outing, discovering the chaos through urgent phone calls and social media updates. With the extinguishing phase complete, authorities will now commence debris removal, paving the way for a formal investigation to determine the fire’s origin.