Fire at Playa 72 Raises Concerns Over Possible Arson in Chen Zulub Ecological Zone

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — A fire that destroyed several security huts near the entrance to Playa 72 has raised concerns among activists and environmentalists, who fear it may have been deliberately set amid an ongoing legal battle over the ownership of Chen Zulub, the city’s last major coastal forest.

The blaze broke out at the end of Avenida Colosio, where it meets Quinta Avenida, and spread across approximately 100 meters. Fortunately, the fire was confined to the area containing the huts, which were used by private security guards.

Sergio Beristain, president of the group Dog Beach Playa del Carmen, visited the site and confirmed there was no damage to the surrounding jungle, the access road, or its signage.

Local residents reported seeing a man running from the area at the time of the fire, which occurred simultaneously with another blaze a short distance away. However, these accounts remain unverified rumors at this time.

Beristain said he did not know who had hired the security guards using the burned huts—whether it was the company Derimaya or a private individual—but noted that their work cleaning the property and monitoring the beach was valuable.

“There is a legal dispute and many interests in the area,” Beristain commented. “There is always the fear that an eviction could be triggered, or that development could begin in the zone.”

He argued that this forest is one of the few intact areas helping to preserve the beach, contrasting it with Playa Pelícanos, where construction close to the shoreline has led to severe erosion that washed away all the sand.

Given these concerns, Beristain emphasized the importance of civil society and various environmental associations showing unity to promote the preservation of Chen Zulub against strong economic interests seeking to take control of the area.