At least 4 people have died and 14 were injured in a massive fire that engulfed a multi-story residential building in the coastal city of Valencia, eastern Spain, according to emergency services. A source from the city council stated that the death toll is expected to rise, with 19 individuals reported missing.
Witnesses and emergency services reported that the fire broke out around 5:30 PM on Thursday on the fourth floor and spread rapidly throughout the building, with footage on social media showing flames and thick black smoke enveloping the structure located in the Campanar district of western Valencia. Jorge Suárez Torres, deputy director of emergency services in the Valencia region, confirmed to reporters, "We can confirm the death of four people." Emergency services mentioned that 14 individuals received treatment for various injuries, including a seven-year-old child, with 12 of them transported to local hospitals.
Spanish public television channel TVE reported that the 14-story building containing 130 apartments has been reduced to a mere shell, and 22 teams of firefighters participated in battling the blaze. Esther Bouhadis, deputy head of the Association of Industrial Engineers in Valencia, stated on local channel À Punt that the fire spread rapidly because the building was covered in a layer of highly flammable polyurethane material used for insulation.
Luis Ibáñez, a nearby resident, told TVE that he looked out the window and saw flames consuming the building "within minutes," adding, "I couldn't believe what I was seeing."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his shock at the dreadful fire on X platform, noting that he is in contact with the mayor and regional officials "to offer any needed assistance" and extended his condolences to the victims. The incident brings to mind the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017, where flames spread rapidly up its 24 floors due to the polyurethane cladding, resulting in 72 deaths.
