Fire Destroys Caribbean Cruise Destination

Little French Key, a popular cruise stop near Roatan, has been destroyed by a fire that is believed to be arson.

The fire began on Sunday and caused more than $3 million in damage, according to a report on CruiseRadio.net.

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The Caribbean key was the location of an animal sanctuary that has long taken in and rehabilitated animals abused by circuses and zoos. Sanctuary owner, Moshe Lahijani, said his facility has been under attack for quite some time, in the form of an “engineered bombardment of false, negative [stories] against this little corner of paradise.”

The sanctuary’s history of being attacked is now leading some to believe that Sunday’s fire was arson.

“Multiple locations, many structures have been burned, and we are in the process of accessing the total damage,” Lahijani said.

Fortunately, a majority of the animals were able to be rescued from the fire, with the exception of a rabbit and two parrots.

Sanctuary officials are now working to create makeshift, temporary shelters to house the displaced animals until a permanent solution can be developed.

An effort is underway to rebuild the sanctuary. Little French Key has set-up a Go Fund Me Page aimed at raising enough money to make this possible.

“If you love Little French Key,” the page states, “now is the time to act [as] we seriously are in need of assistance. All you can do to help us will be much appreciated…we really need it, the animals need it, the employees need it and Little French Key needs it.”

Chali-Enos-Mendoza, creator of the Facebook group Carnival Cruisers…Past, Present, Future said of Little French Key, told CruiseRadio.net that “I myself have been there many times. Moshe Lahijani, owner of LFK, faces constant challenges from the government there but, in spite of that, has managed to create a tropical paradise for tourists and a safe sanctuary for many exotic animals, most of [which were] actually rescued from zoos and circuses.”

She added: “I will not speculate about matters I have no proof of but will again state that the government there has shown time and time again that they do not have the best interest of the residents at heart. It is my hope that LFK will be rebuilt and better than ever despite the challenges that Moshe and his family face trying to run a profitable business in Roatan. The animals there are part of his family, which is evident in his photos and posts on social media. It is truly a sanctuary for these animals and a wonderful experience to enjoy when visiting Roatan.”

In addition to an animal sanctuary, Little French Key features beautiful beaches and is adjacent to the second largest coral reef in the world.