Valencia, Spain – A devastating fire broke out in a multi-storey residential block in the city of Valencia, resulting in the deaths of at least four people and leaving 14 others injured. The fire began on the fourth floor of the building, quickly spreading and engulfing the entire structure in flames and thick black smoke.
According to emergency services, the toll from the fire could rise as 19 people remain missing. The rapid spread of the fire was attributed to the highly flammable polyurethane cladding that covered the building.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as the blaze took hold, snarling traffic and sending clouds of smoke everywhere. Footage on social media showed a father and daughter being rescued from a balcony where they were trapped. Nearby residents recounted the rapid and devastating nature of the fire, with one person describing the building as being “reduced to a skeleton” within minutes of the fire starting.
The tragic incident in Valencia has drawn comparisons to the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, which claimed the lives of 72 people and prompted a public inquiry into the use of combustible cladding on the building’s exterior walls. The fears of polyurethane cladding exacerbating the Valencia fire are reminiscent of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed shock at the fire and offered to provide whatever help was needed, extending condolences to everyone affected by the blaze. This incident comes just months after a nightclub fire in the neighboring region of Murcia claimed 13 lives, resulting in manslaughter charges for six individuals.
The situation in Valencia continues to unfold as emergency services work to account for missing individuals and investigate the cause of the fire. As the community grapples with the aftermath of this tragic event, the focus remains on providing support to those affected and addressing the factors that contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.