THIS is the terrifying moment a popular ski hotel catches fire, forcing around 150 guests to flee as firefighters fight to contain the roaring blaze.
Footage shows a powerful fire breaking out at Hotel Alto Nevados in the mountains of Pinto, Chile, with clouds of thick smoke filling the air.
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Ñuble Regional Presidential Delegate Diego Sepúlveda said the 150 people staying at the resort had been moved to safety at hotels in the area.
The fire was first reported on September 6 at around 5 pm, with flames starting on the hotel’s top floor before rapidly spreading down the five-story building.
Hotel management immediately evacuated all guests and staff, initially believing that the fire was contained.
However, in just a few hours, the flames erupted into a blaze and spread beyond Hotel Alto Nevados to neighbouring infrastructure.
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The flames ripped through the ski school, cafeteria and equipment rental facilities in the surrounding area.
Firefighters from Chillán, Pinto, San Ignacio and surrounding areas rushed to the scene as the fire tore through the building.
The flames carried on burning into the early hours of this morning.
Sepúlveda said that the hotel’s “entire infrastructure” had been affected.
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Local authorities and emergency responders described the hotel as a “near-total loss” following the aggressive blaze.
The hotel said: “This afternoon, a fire is taking place at our facilities. In light of this situation, we would like to inform you that the safety and well-being of everyone has been our absolute priority.”
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“Our staff remain in close coordination and are working together with the Las Trancas Fire Department, who are at the scene carrying out the necessary work to control and extinguish the fire.”
There have been no reports of injuries or deaths.
The cause of the fire remains unknown but authorities have urged people to remain calm and avoid spreading unconfirmed information.
Fire officials have theorised that a notorious regional weather phenomenon known as a “puelche wind” could be intensifying the fire.
Puelche winds are warm and dry downward slope gusts that descend from the eastern slopes of the Andes into the valleys of south-central Chile.
The winds are infamous for quickly raising temperatures and dropping humidity.
These conditions are commonly associated with rapid wildfire spread across the Ñuble, Biobío and Araucanía regions of Chile.
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Mere days before the disastrous fire, the country’s national weather service forecast the potential for strong 55mph puelche gusts in mountainous areas.
Nevados de Chillán operators have partially closed the resort while officials assess the damage to the site.