Investigation open following deadly Valencia apartment block fire
Authorities announced on Friday (23 February) that a massive fire broke out in a luxurious area of Valencia, Spain's third biggest city, resulting in the tragic death of at least nine individuals.
According to witnesses, a fire that was fueled by strong winds consumed an entire block in Valencia's El Campanar district in just 30 minutes on Thursday evening.
Feeling startled, Jose Carlos Perez, a resident who survived the incident and is 53 years old, shared with Reuters that he hastily gathered some belongings and departed from his apartment on the 12th level the moment he noticed smoke by his window.
"I might be dressed, but I feel empty inside because I lost everything I had," shared Perez, who resided alone. He was present outside the SH Valencia Palace hotel, which is currently providing temporary shelter to over a hundred survivors, just like him.
On Friday, the firefighters with masks and oxygen tanks explored the burnt building to search for survivors or dead bodies. Valencia's Mayor, Maria Jose Catala, revealed that no more people were unaccounted for later in the day.
On the evening of Friday, X officials announced that during the identification of the bodies inside the structure, the police had corrected the death toll from 10 to nine.
Two firemen sustained severe injuries and had to be taken to hospital for treatment.
People from Valencia gathered together to give away items such as clothing, medicine, and toys to those who survived the fire and lost all of their possessions.
According to Javier Valles, who is the head of the SH Valencia Palace hotel, they are currently providing temporary shelter to 110 people. Additionally, a regional government representative has stated that these individuals will be provided with funds to cover their daily expenses. It should be noted that most of the individuals who survived this incident are currently staying with their families.
Valles expressed that individuals were considerably impacted and as a charitable act, assisting them was the minimum we could do.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the location on Friday and expressed his condolences to the affected residents, stating that they had suffered disastrous losses in a very short period of time due to the fire.
The fire started on the fourth level of a tower, according to emergency responders. However, they did not provide any information regarding the cause of the fire. A regional judge has initiated an inquiry into the fire.
According to statements made by Esther Puchades from APCAS, a company that inspects insurance policies, the rapid spread of the fire may have been caused by a lack of fire barriers and the use of polyurethane plastic on the building's exterior. This comment brings to mind the tragic Grenfell Tower fire that occurred in London back in 2017.
The group representing the polyurethane industry issued an announcement indicating that the cladding used in the building did not contain any polyurethane.
The developers promoting the building in 2007 showcased the utilization of a unique aluminum material for its exterior, which underwent extensive quality examinations. However, the promotion did not make any reference to the use of polyurethane.
The rapid expansion of the fire that occurred in 2017 at the Grenfell Tower complex located in the western area of London, which tragically resulted in the loss of 71 lives due to a malfunction in the electrical system, was attributed to the employment of extremely combustible coating on the outside of the building.
Dentists who specialize in forensics traveled to Valencia from different regions of Spain to assist in identifying the burned remains. Simultaneously, law enforcement gathered DNA samples from family members for the same objective. The location of the fire had an unpleasant odor.
Scared inhabitants hurried to their balconies and begged for assistance while flaming ashes plummeted towards the earth during the blaze. A minimum of two persons were saved by lifting them from their balconies using cranes.
According to reports from officials, the construction of the building was finished in 2008. The structure consisted of two towers that were connected by a "panoramic lift," as mentioned by the developers. A total of 138 apartments could be found within the building, as per the newspaper El Pais.
People who live in another residential complex in Valencia constructed by the same developers appeared worried about the quality of the materials used in their own structure. They requested that the authorities look into the matter.
"It's a concerning situation," shared Andrea Martinez, a resident aged 42. She further added that she was planning to leave Valencia for the weekend to "take a break" from the incident. "We never know when something unforeseen might happen," she remarked.
Valencia has ordered a period of mourning that covers three days. The city has also decided to cancel all local football matches and delay the start of the famous "Fallas" festival, which usually lasts for a month. The festival involves burning large cardboard sculptures, along with a splendid fireworks presentation.
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