“As if the building was made of cork, it suddenly caught fire and was destroyed in a very short time,” a neighbor of a burned-out apartment building in Valencia told state TV channel RTVE. After a fire catastrophe, Spain is in shock, especially as it mourns nine deaths, fifteen injuries and another missing person.
What caused horror was the rapid speed at which the fire spread from one apartment to the entire relatively new complex.
Initially, four dead bodies were recovered during the night. It involved a couple and their two children, the newspaper ‘La Vanguardia’ reported, citing investigative circles. On Friday, justice confirmed a fifth victim. In the afternoon, the representative of the central government in the autonomous community of Valencia, Pilar Bernabé, initially announced that a total of ten bodies had been found during an initial search of the burned ruins, but later clarified that there were nine. However, the search for missing people in the vast fire ruins must continue.
Inferno suspected due to cladding
Engineer David Higuera can only explain the explosive spread of the fire with flammable parts of the cladding. The enormous cloud of black smoke above the building can hardly be explained otherwise. The strong wind fanned the fire even further.
Millions of Spaniards live in such large residential complexes, largely built during the construction boom before the 2008 financial crisis. These are not social housing, but often apartments for higher standards, with a communal swimming pool, landscaping, elevator and underground parking. Presumably quite a few residents of such complexes look concernedly at the facade of their home.
People shouted for help on balconies
Carlos and Dani, two 16-year-olds, said they watched in amazement from a nearby park Thursday afternoon as the fire spread to the roof within minutes.
“It flickered along the metal panels of the facade or behind it, but always upwards,” Carlos told El País newspaper. The two also reported that people were screaming for help on their balconies. When firefighters used a turntable ladder and a rescue basket to rescue two residents from a balcony already threatened by flames, people in front of the building clapped and cheered.
Commemoration of the Grenfell fire disaster
The images from Valencia reminded engineer Higuera of the Grenfell fire disaster in London. In June 2017, 72 people died in a fire in a high-rise building. The fire had spread quickly there too through the facade insulation.
According to fire protection expert Esther Puchadas, who certified the house in Valencia, the facade is insulated with polyurethane. That worked like an accelerator. Given the catastrophe, the approval of this insulation material should be reconsidered, she told TV channel À Punt. Higuera described the insulation material as “solid gasoline.”
The full extent of the destruction became visible at first light on Friday. All that remains of the residential complex, which was completed only a few years ago and has one wing fourteen stories high and the other twelve stories high, are charred facades in front of a reinforced concrete framework. “Valencia has never experienced such a tragedy,” said Valencia Mayor María José Catalá, announcing a three-day period of mourning for the city.
The fire disaster caused an uproar throughout Spain. TV stations reported live in special programs. The government and opposition expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and pledged support to those affected. On Friday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez traveled to the scene of the accident and assured those affected of state aid.
Some of the now homeless residents stayed with family or friends, others were taken to hotels and boarding houses.
Football matches cancelled
Due to the major fire, the football matches planned for the weekend by the city’s clubs were also canceled. The Spanish football association RFEF has granted a request from first division club Valencia CF, the club announced on Friday. The team, which is currently in eighth place in the rankings, should have played against Granada CF (penultimate place in the rankings) on Saturday.
The match of second division club UD Levante against FC Andorra on Saturday was also cancelled. Now new data should be found. The Spanish league also announced that a minute’s silence will be held for the victims at all matches this weekend.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
