The Government delegate in Valencia assures that the fire at the Moncada residence is being investigated “beyond the strip”

The delegate of the Government in the Valencian Community, Gloria Calero, has assured this Friday that the investigation of the Civil Guard is being carried out “beyond the strip” which, according to the body itself, was the origin of the fire in the Moncada residence after which six people died. Calero has not wanted to reveal any details “because I do not like to talk when it is being investigated”, according to what he has said, but he has insinuated two ways. The first, referred to what the Civil Guard described as “electrical anomaly” and that the delegate has fixed on the strip and “why that strip did what it did”. The second, when asked about the regularity of the management of the residence, publicly owned and privately managed. “I think that the investigation is investigating beyond the rules and they will tell us what failures there have been, because there have been some because if not, this does not occur”, Calero has indicated.

Just over an hour later, the Vice President of the Valencia Government and Minister of Inclusive Policies, Mónica Oltra, has reported that Gesmed, the concessionaire company for the management of the residence, had the contract expired since July 1, 2020, when from which this residence is in a situation of unjust enrichment. Oltra has justified the delay in the new tender for the service in the lack of “a contract law that allows us to have reasonable deadlines” and sufficient personnel “to address the huge number of contracts in a community in which we have less indica of employees per inhabitant. In addition, as indicated by the counselor, the new contract will include in the specifications the requirements of the regulations that have not yet been approved, which will be “more focused on the technical part than on the price so that there are no reckless casualties, it will include ecological clauses such as energy efficiency, healthy food and clauses such as concessionaires not operating in tax havens, in addition to giving more points to companies that pay above the agreement or hire vulnerable groups”, as he explained. “The tender is about to go out” that will apply the coverage, he added.

In any case, it will be the Court of First Instance and Instruction number 3 of Moncada (Valencia), which investigates the case and to which the Civil Guard has to deliver its final report, which will determine if there is any responsibility.

Gesmed agreed to manage the residence on January 1, 2020, after winning an appeal against the ministry for awarding the management to another company that presented a reckless dismissal. Due to the extension signed with the first company, La Saleta, the new manager had the contract in force until June 30. “It is an essential service that must be maintained,” argued the vice president. In any case, the residence has continued to pass inspections, the last one in July 2021.

The fire in a nursing home in Moncada caused, on Tuesday night, the death of six inmates and the need for hospitalization of another 15, mainly affected by smoke. Mónica Oltra has reported that eight people remain hospitalized, of which one is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the other two with a serious prognosis. In the last few hours, two residents have been discharged.

Oltra has also reported that a total of 17 users have been rehoused in nearby centers “to avoid large displacements of their families” and until the facilities are reconditioned. The fire did not affect the structure of the building but it did affect the facilities of the corridor in which the room in which the flames originated was located, so the electrical installation and the air conditioning and heating installations will have to be renewed, with that the return will not take place until “it is in conditions”, as indicated.