Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove suffers minor fire damage, operations continue

LE MERIDIEN FISHERMANS COVE SUFFERS MINOR FIRE DAMAGE

One of the finest hotels along the Beau Vallon bay, the Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove, has over the weekend suffered fire damage to the thatch roof over the main restaurant. The accidental fire, no guests or staff came to any harm at the time, was however swiftly contained as the fire brigade arrived within 10 minutes of receiving the call.

Information received from a source on Mahe said the damage is minor and repairs will go underway once the insurance assessors have completed their report, as no foul play was suspected as cause of the brief blaze. Initial suspicion points to an electrical fault but this still requires confirmation.

The resorts in the Seychelles are regularly holding fire drills in conjunction with the local fire brigade, an investment which clearly paid off here as both evacuation of guests and staff as well as immediate firefighting efforts now attest to.

The Fisherman’s Cove is the ‘senior’ one of two hotels this global Starwood brand is managing in the Seychelles, the sister resort being the Le Meridien Barbarons on the other side of Mahe, and the Fisherman’s Cove is reputed for its high standards of cuisine, the luxuriously appointed rooms and the beautiful setting at the end of the world famous Beau Vallon Bay beach.

Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St. Ange reportedly visited the location in the company of staff from the Seychelles Tourist Board, which offices are only a stone throw away at Bel Ombre, to inspect the damage and get briefed on the circumstances of the incident and the expected time frame of repairs. Also at hand was the Chairman of STB Mr. Barry Faure, who is also the Secretary of State in the Office of the President, a sign how keenly concerned the administration is about such incidents and their potential impact on tourism to the archipelago.