Four tourist hotels razed by fire in Tanzania’s Zanzibar

DAR ES SALAAM — Four tourists hotels have been razed by fire in Tanzania’s Zanzibar, police said Saturday.

“Fortunately nobody, including tourists, was hurt by the inferno,” said Suleiman Hassan, the South Unguja regional police commander. “Three of the four tourist hotels were razed to the ground,” Hassan told a press conference, adding that the fire started at Villa De Coco Hotel at 5 p.m., local time, Saturday.

Strong winds prompted the inferno to spread to three other hotels, all owned by foreigners, said Hassan.

He did not disclose the nationalities of the foreigners. “Tourists who were staying in the fateful hotels managed to run to safety and they were transferred to other hotels,” said Hassan.

Firefighters managed to put the fire out, he said, adding that police and other security agencies were investigating to establish the cause of the fire.