14 Mar, 2024 @ 16:35
1 min read

WATCH: Bikini Beach Club in Estepona caught alight ‘while workmen sealed the roof with blowtorches’ – as witnesses describe hearing ‘loud bang’

A BEACH restaurant on the Costa del Sol caught fire and burned down in front of the eyes of it stunned owners on Thursday afternoon.

Witnesses said that workmen were sealing the roof of Bikini Beach Bar and Lounge with blow torches when it caught alight.

The flames broke out around 15.30 on Thursday afternoon. Copyright The Olive Press

The popular eatery, a mainstay of the Estepona beachfront since 2012, became engulfed in flames around 15.30 in the afternoon.

There were no customers inside the French-Belgian-owned restaurant as it was closed for final renovations before the start of the summer season. 

The workmen and business owners managed to get out before anyone was hurt.

fire burning beach club
A team of firefighters with two pressure hoses struggled to bring the flames under control. Copyright The Olive Press

The owner, who was watching on in devastated horror, told the Olive Press that the fire had been started because of the renovations.

Bystanders gathered to watch the unfolding disaster from both the sand and the surrounding promenade as police and firefighters appeared on the scene.

“We saw a little smoke at first as we were strolling along the paseo from the port,” Pere Hansom, 64, from Sweden, and Angela Marques, 63, from Spain, told the Olive Press.

Despite a brief revival by a sudden change of wind direction, the flames were out after about an hour. Copyright The Olive Press

“Things were smouldering but it didn’t look so bad, but then huge flames started to erupt and we knew it was really serious.

“Suddenly there was a loud bang and then it really took off.”

The workmen told the Olive Press at the scene that they smelled something strange from the roof before the flames caught hold. 

Pere Hansom, 64, and Angela Marquez, 63, said they were walking down the promenade when they saw the flames and heard a bang. Copyright The Olive Press

Two huge water cannons were brought to bear on the raging inferno and appeared to limit the flames to just the central building.

Just as firefighters appeared to have it under control, sudden strong winds from the west reignited it and the outer structures soon succumbed to the flames.

The loss will come particularly hard for the owners as it was due to reopen for the coming summer tourist season in a matter of days.

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Walter Finch

Walter Finch, who comes from a background in video and photography, is keen on reporting on and investigating organised crime, corruption and abuse of power. He is fascinated by the nexus between politics, business and law-breaking, as well as other wider trends that affect society.
Born in London but having lived in six countries, he is well-travelled and worldly. He studied Philosophy at the University of Birmingham and earned his diploma in journalism from London's renowned News Associates during the Covid era.
He got his first break in the business working on the Foreign News desk of the Daily Mail's online arm, where he also helped out on the video desk.
He then decided to escape the confines of London and returned to Spain in 2022, having previously lived in Barcelona for many years.
He took up up a reporter role with the Olive Press Newspaper and today he is based in La Linea de la Concepcion at the heart of a global chokepoint and crucial maritime hub, where he edits the Olive Press Gibraltar edition.
He is also the deputy news editor across all editions of the newspaper.

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