The population of the city of Valencia, in eastern Spain, is overwhelmed after the ravenous fire that occurred on February 22 and whose flames were extinguished until several hours later. The Police confirmed this Friday that the number of fatalities increased to at least ten people.
Little by little it is known who the fatal victims of the fire in a residential building in Valencia, in eastern Spain, are.
Among the ten deaths confirmed by the Police are four members of the same family: a married couple and their two daughters who are only three years and 15 days old.
The local press also reports an elderly couple among the deceased.
In addition, at least 15 people were injured, most due to smoke inhalation, although they are out of danger, authorities stressed.
The fire started around 5:30 p.m. on February 22 on the fifth floor of a residential building and the flames spread quickly until it completely took over that building and another adjoining one, affecting 138 homes.
As the fire spread rapidly, shocking scenes were recorded of residents desperately fighting to save their lives, while firefighters worked at full speed to rescue them.
Among the most impressive images is that of a father and his daughter, trapped on a balcony, who were finally rescued from the smoke and flames that surrounded them when a team of firefighters, with the help of a crane, reached the floor where they were waiting. .
Among the moments broadcast live on local television is also the moment in which a firefighter jumps into the void and falls to a mat that had been deployed for his rescue.
Later, it is also known that the building's janitor went door to door asking to evacuate the place, while the fire devoured everything in its path, an action that helped save lives.
It could have been me
Now, what was the home for dozens of families – in the modern neighborhood of Nou Campanar, close to large avenues and shopping centers in the tourist city – became a huge charred place.
“It's absolutely horrible. You get goosebumps thinking about those people inside (…) It could have been me. It could have been my building,” said Luis Alberto Clarín, a resident of the area.
Hundreds of citizens showed their solidarity, bringing food and clothing items, among others, for those who lost everything.
“Human lives are what is important and those people are not going to forget that,” said Vicente Ferrer, one of the neighbors who went to the place where the raging fire occurred.
There is “a lot of pain, because in the end a lot of people live there. Many people are left without their home, without their pets or everything they had,” added Alejandro González.
Pedro Sánchez: “Empathy, affection and solidarity with the victims”
The firefighters finally managed to enter the interior of the building until after noon this Friday, February 23in an attempt to avoid the risks of collapse of the charred buildings, due to the high temperatures under which they were for more than 12 hours.
The head of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, arrived at the place where the tragic fire occurred this Friday, who met with the president of the Valencian Community, Carlos Mazón, the mayor of the city, María José Catalá, and the professionals who have fought the flames.
“The priority now, as has been stated by the rest of the authorities, is the search for victims and without a doubt trying to safeguard the safety of public servants,” said Sánchez when referring to the need to protect the lives of firefighters. At least six of them were injured during the rescue efforts.
The leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) also appealed to the empathy of the Spanish people towards those affected by what happened.
“In situations as dramatic, as tragic as the ones we are experiencing, that is what we all need: to show empathy, affection and solidarity with the victims, with their families and with those who still do not know exactly what has happened to many of them and “We are here, mayor, president, to help you and above all to show that commitment and solidarity in this case of the Government of Spain, which is nothing other than that of Spanish society as a whole,” Sánchez remarked.
What is known about the causes of the fire?
The origin of the flames is a matter of investigation, as well as the reasons for their rapid spread.
However, some reports from the local press – which cite data from the construction company's project, erected between 2005 and 2008 – explain the reasons behind the most virulent fire in the history of the city.
And what has surprised the most is the great speed with which the flames expanded. Only 30 minutes after the fire was observed on the fifth floor, the flames already engulfed most of of the surface of the block of 138 homes that housed at least 450 people. Shortly after, the fire was already burning in the annex building.
According to data from the real estate project, built about 15 years ago, the reason would be in the materials used on the building's façade: an aluminum and polyurethane coating, the latter highly flammable.
Furthermore, experts interviewed by the Spanish press point to the weather conditions at the time the fire started. The gusts of winds between 20 and 60 kilometers per hour, they point out, were conducive to fanning the flames, which spread both vertically and horizontally through the affected structures.
This Friday, the Investigative Court number 10 of Valencia announced that it opened an investigation to clarify the facts. And Mayor Catalá pointed out that it is too early to comment on the origin of the flames and their rapid spread through the area.
With Reuters and local media
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