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Afternoon blaze hits Islander Club
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Posted on Apr 12 2012
A fire of unknown cause struck the Islander Club located behind Gold Beach Hotel on Pupulu Drive in Garapan yesterday afternoon.
No one was reported injured in the blaze as the club was closed when the fire broke out, firefighters and witnesses told Saipan Tribune at the scene.
Firefighters quickly responded and prevented the blaze from spreading to other parts of the club and to the adjacent apartments.
The club’s owner, Maria Castro, was seen talking on her cell phone about 3:30pm a few meters away from the establishment as firefighters and arson investigators were going in and out of the club.
At the time, firefighters had already stamped out the blaze. The flames had engulfed the interior of the club on a one-story concrete building.
Roy Matagolai, 35, manager of Islander Club, said the bar would open only during Thursday, Friday, and Saturday between 8pm to 2am.
Matagolai said he received a call from a neighbor about the fire at 1:10pm.
“When I got here, there’s thick smoke coming out from the bar and fire trucks were already here,” he said.
The manager said he noticed that the smoke was thick and black, coming out from the front door and ventilating system.
He learned from firefighters that the fire affected only the right side of the bar where the dart and pool tables are located.
“We’ll just wait for the result of the investigation, then start fixing,” Matagolai said, adding that they regularly have a live band and doing good business.
Islander Club is going on two years next month.
Meanwhile, bush fires swept a big area and gobbled several banana plants at the former Botanical Garden in Papago on Tuesday and Wednesday.
