A major fire broke out at the Casino de Mendoza Sala Este, located inside the Tótem Boulevard commercial complex in San Martín.
The blaze began around 4:00 p.m. and caused severe damage to the casino’s gaming floor, as well as to nearby commercial units, including medical offices located within the same complex.
More than 20 firefighting units were deployed to contain the fire, including crews from the Mendoza Police and volunteer brigades from San Martín, Guaymallén, Rivadavia and Santa Rosa. Civil Defense personnel and municipal water services also assisted in the operation.
Authorities ordered a full evacuation of the building as the fire spread through the roof structure. According to emergency services, two workers who had become trapped on the roof were rescued without serious injuries.
Five people were transported to the hospital, including a firefighter treated for smoke inhalation, another with a hand injury and three civilians affected by carbon monoxide exposure.
Initial reports described material losses in the casino area as total, though the Tótem Hotel and Spa located within the same complex was not affected by the blaze.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Mendoza’s Central Police Firefighting Unit.
The incident comes shortly after local media reports suggested that Grupo Kristich, the concession operator of the venue, was considering exiting the property due to declining weekday attendance and an outstanding tax dispute with Mendoza’s provincial tax authority.
The company publicly denied those claims in a statement issued weeks before the fire, saying the casino was operating normally and meeting all its legal and financial obligations.
The Sala Este venue opened in 2021 as part of Mendoza’s strategy to consolidate older casino annexes in the eastern part of the province.
The gaming hall destroyed by the fire was reportedly the largest casino venue in Mendoza, housing around 900 slot machines before recent reductions
