Valencia fire: Ten bodies found as Spanish police search gutted flats
Observe: Initial footage of the fire in Valencia displays the expansion of the flames.
London-based Paul Kirby and Valencia native Mark Lowen have jointly written a blog post.
Firefighters and investigators in Spain announced the retrieval of 10 deceased individuals' remains from the wreckage of a high-rise residential building following a devastating blaze that struck Valencia.
The exterior covering of the structure and strong gusts of wind are being held accountable for the rapid spread of flames throughout the building.
Officials have confirmed that there are no additional individuals unaccounted for. Furthermore, they declined to provide any information regarding the origin of the inferno.
There will be a period of three days during which mourning will take place.
Earlier reports mentioned that some individuals who were unaccounted for are a youthful pair accompanied by their two small offspring as well as a duo of senior citizens.
We have received confirmation that upon a preliminary investigation by forensic police, the death of 10 individuals has been confirmed. These fatalities correspond with the 10 individuals who were previously reported as unaccounted for. Pilar Bernabé, the representative of the Spanish government in the Valencia region, disclosed this information to the media.
Ms Bernabé declined to answer any queries regarding the root cause, citing the confidential nature of the inquiry.
However, it is evident that the fire spread rapidly through a sheet of polyurethane cladding, which was fastened to the structure using an extremely thin layer of aluminum.
One of the potential triggers of the fire in Valencia on Thursday evening, as stated by the Industrial Technical Engineers College of Valencia, was the combination of intense winds and soaring temperatures in the area.
Esther Puchades, the college vice president, stated that the cladding material used in the building caused it to burn rapidly. Puchades also mentioned that she had previously examined the structure.
Even though the panels with aluminium covering were not seen as flammable, they were still permitted under the construction standards when the building was completed in 2008. However, this type of cladding is now prohibited.
However, there was no plan in place to remove the prohibited cladding, as has been done in the UK since the tragic Grenfell Tower incident in 2017. This endeavor is still ongoing.
It is believed that the fire started on the fourth floor of the bigger building out of two that are both 14 storeys high. The fire quickly spread to the second building after just a few minutes. The firefighters faced difficulties reaching higher than the 12th floor.
As investigators combed through the interior of the Campenar neighbourhood buildings, all that was left were the burned and destroyed shells of the neighboring structures.
At first, on Friday they had to utilize unmanned aerial vehicles until the heat had decreased. Thin trails of smoke were still visible emanating from the roofs of the destroyed buildings.
The image used in this section comes from Eva Manez, a photographer who works for Reuters.
On Friday, firefighters were finally able to access the burnt remains of the apartments, but it wasn't until after noon.
After the size of the tragic event was verified, tales surfaced about courageous individuals who stood up to help. The fire destroyed the exterior of the structure and left inhabitants trapped.
One of the individuals tasked with caring for the area, whose name is Julián, received much acclaim for quickly moving from house to house in an effort to evacuate those in danger as the fire began to spread.
A local named Manuel mentioned that he was present at his residence in the apartment building when he witnessed the rapid spread of the fire.
He recounted to a Spanish TV station how he noticed flames spreading through the sheet metal and informed his mother and the unaware neighbors who were present, prompting them to descend the stairs together.
According to him, in a period of 10 to 15 minutes, they were enveloped in a dark haze.
Out of the 15 individuals who were injured, some were firefighters. By Friday night, two of them were still hospitalized, but they were not in critical condition.
The head of the government, Pedro Sánchez, went to the place where the demolished housing units were located, and pledged to assist the local officials in handling the disaster. He stated, "Our hearts go out to the families who have suffered from this dreadful blaze, and we are here to share our compassion and support with them."
According to Diana Morant, the Science Minister, they are available to provide any assistance that may be required.
Valencia regional government's leader, Carlos Mazón, announced that he is collaborating with the city's governing body to offer shelter and essential requirements to people whose houses have been ruined.
Overall, the fire destroyed 138 apartments, which was home to a total of 450 individuals.
People from Valencia have been collecting food, garments, and personal hygiene items for those who were forced to flee their homes due to the devastating fire.
The football game scheduled on Saturday for La Liga at Mestalla Stadium in Valencia has been delayed out of sympathy for the individuals who were affected. Valencia's team shared that they were heartbroken by the tragic fire that occurred on Avenida Maestro Rodrigo in the city.
