Backpackers Killed In Chile Hostel Fire

February 7th, 2007 by Pia Taylor

Blue House Hostel - Chile

Yet another hostel has gone up in flames – this time in southern Chile.

According to The Age, on Saturday night (3rd of February) the fire, blamed on an electrical fault, razed the Blue House Hostel in Punta Arenas, leaving thirteen people dead – ten of them foreigners.

This, and a similar (though less extreme) blaze in the UK once again bring into the spotlight the possible dangers of staying in cheap hostels.

I generally have a fatalistic attitude about these things (if your time is up, your time is up), and even horrific stories like this are unlikely to stop backpackers from choosing budget accommodation over hotels.

But there is a travel tool out there that could give backpackers who get caught in situations like this enough time to escape a fire before it gets out of hand..

Remember the Flaresafe? It’s the smoke-detector/torch we wrote about back in October last year. We even gave two away in November.

It may seem a little pricey for the average backpacker’s budget (around the £45 mark), but, dramatic though this sounds, in a situation like this recent hostel fire, the Flaresafe’s top notch smoke detector alarm could be the difference between life and death.

Related Stories:
‘Australian dies in Chile hostel fire’ (The Age)
‘Aussie killed in hostel inferno’ (Sydney Morning Herald)
‘Fire at hostel’ (Newsshopper.co.uk)
‘Melbourne Hostel Blaze Kills Backpacker Couple’ (Backpackers.com)
‘Flaresafe: Torch, Smoke Detector And More’ (Backpackers.com)
‘What Makes A Good Gift For A Backpacker?’ (Backpackers.com)

Useful (related) resources for backpackers:
Flarebrands website – creators of the Flaresafe.
Hostels in South America – find and book cheap hostels online

Travel Tips Forum – share your own travel tips or warnings with fellow travellers.

Posted in Travel Gear, Travel News