Massive Fire Engulfs Apartment Blocks in Valencia, Spain

At least four individuals have lost their lives and up to 15 are unaccounted for following a catastrophic fire that tore through two connected apartment buildings in the city of Valencia, Spain. The incident took place in the Campanar neighborhood, where a 14-storey block was engulfed by flames that subsequently spread to an adjacent building.

Emergency services were witnessed rescuing residents from balconies of the burning structures, with a total of 138 flats and 450 occupants in the affected buildings. Reports indicated that 15 individuals, including six firefighters and a child, sustained injuries, although their lives are not considered to be in immediate danger.

Valencia Mayor María José Catalá disclosed that authorities are currently working to locate between nine and 15 missing persons, while the regional representative of the government has reported 14 individuals as still unaccounted for. Over 20 fire teams were deployed to combat the blaze, which was exacerbated by strong winds swirling in the area.

Images from the scene displayed a once 14-storey building reduced to a charred shell by the flames, with individuals urged to steer clear of the vicinity. Local accounts recounted firefighters utilizing cranes to rescue residents trapped in the buildings, including a couple residing on the seventh floor.

Esther Puchades, the vice president of the College of Industrial Technical Engineers of Valencia, highlighted concerns regarding the materials used in the construction of the building, which was erected in 2008-09. She specifically pointed towards the presence of polyurethane material on the exterior, no longer widely adopted due to fire safety fears, along with an aluminium covering.

Contributing to the rapid spread of the fire was the presence of highly flammable cladding, as stated by experts, akin to the circumstances leading to the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London back in 2017. Luis Ibanez, a resident in the vicinity, described the staggering pace at which the flames enveloped the building, exacerbated by the materials present on the facade.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed dismay over the incident, extending solidarity to the affected populace and commendation for the emergency responders at the scene. Valencia authorities declared an official day of mourning to honor the victims of the devastating fire.