Imperial Pacific’s permanent casino project catches fire

Saipan casino operator Imperial Pacific International Holdings‘ (IPI) in-development permanent gaming venue caught fire on Monday, likely imposing further delays on the project’s already sketchy completion date.

On Monday, a fire broke out at the construction site of the Imperial Pacific Resort Hotel Saipan, the company’s planned permanent gaming venue in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. IPI currently operates a temporary casino, Best Sunshine Live, from a high-end shopping mall on Saipan.

The Marianas Variety media outlet reported that a worker had called emergency services around 3pm on Monday to report a “trash fire” breaking out at the construction site. The all-clear was sounded approximately four hours later and no one was reported harmed.

The authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze but observers reported that the fire originated due to welding sparks falling onto “construction material debris” that had been piled up against the in-development structure.