Fire engulfs iconic ‘Donpee Guest House’ in Haiti’s Léogâne

LÉOGÂNE, Haiti — A violent overnight fire tore through part of the Donpee Guest House between Wednesday and Thursday, leaving the popular establishment heavily damaged and exposing once again the lack of functioning fire-response infrastructure across Haiti. Though no one was injured, the destruction underscores a nationwide crisis: in most cities, firefighters either do not exist, arrive without water, lack equipment, or fail to respond at all.

“This is devastating to us and the Léogâne community,” Donald Paraison, owner and CEO of the institution, said in an interview with The Haitian Times.

 “The central structure is destroyed. Most is reduced to ashes. What’s now left of our investment are some detached parts.”

In a country grappling with deep insecurity, economic collapse and frequent natural and accidental disasters, the absence of basic emergency services has become a major obstacle to investment and local development. Business owners and residents told The Haitian Times that the Donpee Guest House fire is a stark reminder that any commercial venture in Haiti faces extreme risk—not only from rampant insecurity fueled by gangs, but also from preventable accidents the state is unequipped to manage.

This beloved local business and the community’s proud landmark is left largely in ruins.

The fire began around 9 p.m. in one of the upper-floor rooms and rapidly spread through the facility’s wooden roof and structure. Donpee Guest House—located in Mathieu, a section of Léogâne roughly 25 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince—has operated for seven years as one of the area’s few leisure and hospitality establishments. It includes 25 rooms, a restaurant, bar, pool and event spaces for graduations, weddings and conferences. It employs roughly 20 people directly and supports several local vendors and contractors.

The residence-style resort features a balcony, seating area and satellite TV. It also offers guests a microwave and on-demand dishes. Donpee Guest House is rated four stars and ranked 53rd out of 72 hotels in Haiti on TripAdviso.com.

By dawn on Thursday, the damage was evident: charred walls, collapsed roofing, melted electronics, and entire rooms reduced to ash.

“You could say there are no firefighters in Haiti,” said Executive Director Darline Jean. “ After so much devastation, they arrived without water.”

Firefighters arrived empty-handed — residents battled to extinguish the flames

Residents were first to respond, forming bucket brigades and using detergent and stored water to stall the flames. When firefighters finally reached the scene, they arrived in a malfunctioning truck without water, witnesses said.

“The entire area could have been reduced to ashes without residents’ response and collaboration,” Jean said lamentably.

Firefighters sprayed only a weak jet of water before leaving the scene. Residents continued battling the blaze until roughly 3 a.m.

At 7 a.m. on Thursday, smoke still rose from the structure. This is a national emergency-response system in collapse, some said.

The Guest House fire reflects a troubling national pattern:

• Fire stations frequently have no water supply.
• Many fire trucks are broken or lack fuel.
• Emergency teams lack training, gear, and coordination.
• Communities rely on self-organized responses, placing civilians at risk.

Léogâne residents say that firefighters arriving without water is not unusual. This systemic failure raises concerns for public safety and investment in a country already facing gang violence, political paralysis, and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

“In a nation without fire prevention or emergency services, disasters like this will keep happening,” said Romilus Manigat, who helped fight the flames. “We tried our best to protect Donpee because no one else could.”

Jobs lost, families shaken amid cause of fire still unknown

The extent of the property loss has left employees fearful for the future. For many, Donpee Guest House was a lifeline.

“This place is the only financial support of my daughter,” said a friend of the owner, anonymously for privacy reasons. “Since the news, she has not been able to get out of bed.”

Restaurant head chef Isabelle Dessable called the fire “a real shock,” adding that numerous families depend on the establishment’s operations.

Jean said she and her small team of employees, overwhelmed by the incident, detected no warning signs before the fire broke out. Management has not yet determined the cause, and the full extent of the damage has not been assessed. It is also unclear if an investigation has already even begun. The Haitian Times did not observe any law enforcement agents or judicial authorities at the scene.

Paraison, who lives in the United States, said he was gathering preliminary information about the incident and putting together what happened to determine the next step. 

Yet he is skeptical about the institution’s possible rehabilitation in the near future.

“In light of Haiti’s current situation, it is very challenging to even consider any reconstruction plan right now,” he said, emphasizing the difficulties in raising funds and the overall ongoing multidimensional crisis the country faces.

Smoke lingered well into Thursday morning.

Donpee Guest House is more than a business—it is a local economic anchor in a region that has endured repeated devastation from natural disasters, including the 2010 earthquake and recurrent flooding.

Residents say this latest fire reflects a national emergency-response system that exists “in name only.”

“Without investment in fire services, water infrastructure and emergency planning, communities and businesses remain dangerously vulnerable,” Manigat said.

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