US ski team loses belongings in major fire at Chile resort

A group of US ski racers and their team have lost all of their belongings after a large fire tore through a Chile ski resort hotel days before a major race.

The Masters Alpine ski racers and their teams were staying in the Hotel Alto Nevados in Chile’s Pinto area when a huge blaze erupted at around 5pm last Sunday, reportedly forcing 150 guests to flee as flames spread down the building.

“Most of the individuals left their rooms with the clothes on their backs, leaving behind all their ski clothing and gear,” Lauren Beckos, who is fundraising for the skiers, said in a description on GoFundMe. She said a group of 40 racers, coaches, and companions were affected.

“Nearly half of those affected did not even manage to salvage their wallets, passports, cash, or medications. In many cases, they dashed through smoke from the fire to escape the building without shoes or coats,” she added.

Following the evacuation, the fire intensified and spread beyond the hotel, burning down a cafeteria, sky school, and equipment rental buildings in the nearby area, according to Snow Sports News. Images from the scene show the charred remains of the site.

Volunteer firefighting crews from across the region battled the blaze, with more than a dozen vehicles sent to the site as Chilean national police closed a stretch of the local Route N-55 road.

Fire officials said that conditions at the scene, including high temperatures, adverse weather, and the structural deterioration of the hotel, prompted a decision to withdraw from the building and “shift to a defensive strategy” to preserve the safety of the volunteers.

However, conditions at the scene—including high temperatures, adverse weather, a heavy fuel load, and structural deterioration caused by the fire—significantly increased the risk to the teams working inside.

Fire officials also noted a regional weather phenomenon called a ‘puelche wind’ - a warm and dry gust that descends from the Andes into the Chilean mountains - as a complicating factor in their emergency response, causing temperatures to sharply increase and decreasing humidity levels.

All around 150 guests and staff members were accounted for safely, Ñuble's regional presidential delegate, Diego Sepúlveda said.

The Nevados de Chillán ski resort announced it would be closed on Monday after the fire, adding in a statement on social media: “Fortunately, everyone is safe. Our teams are currently fully focused on managing the emergency, assessing the damage, reorganizing our priorities, and taking the urgent actions required by this situation.

The opening races of the FIS Masters World Cup season were also cancelled after the fire, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) said.

Around 100 Masters athletes from 15 nations were set to compete in the opening races, the organisation said.

“The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) expresses its sincere gratitude to the Nevados de Chillán resort team and emergency services for their swift response and support to those affected,” it added.

Any money raised by the fundraiser in the GoFundMe will be distributed to those affected and go towards covering lost belongings and unexpected travel expenses, Ms Beckos said.

“Your kindness can make a real difference for these members of the ski racing community as they recover from this unexpected event and get back on their feet,” she added.