At least 13 people were killed in a fire in a Spanish nightclub on Sunday morning, officials said, with fears the toll could still rise as rescue workers sift through the debris.
A fire broke out in a building that held the “Teatre” and “Fonda Milagros” clubs in Murcia, southeastern Spain. The fire started in the upper parts of both clubs, which were originally in the same building, according to Diego Seral, a spokesperson for the national police. It’s still unclear where the fire began. The police have a list of 15 missing people, but Seral mentioned it might change as they identify victims.
The Murcia fire team will keep the building safe for a few more hours. They mentioned there’s a possibility of finding another body. This was stated shortly after 10:00 p.m. (2000 GMT). They cautioned that the final count won’t be known until they finish searching through the debris.
Search for more victims
A man named Jairo, claiming to be the father of one of the victims, told reporters that his 28-year-old daughter was in one of the clubs. He hadn’t heard from her since she left a desperate voicemail at 6:06 am.
In the recording, a young woman’s voice can be heard crying, saying, “Mum, I love you, we’re going to die, I love you mum.” In the background, people were shouting to turn on the lights.
Emergency services, on the platform previously known as Twitter, stated that firefighters were still working at the site and hadn’t ruled out finding more victims.
Jose Ballesta, the mayor of Murcia, explained that the fire started around 6:00 am local time (0400 GMT) and was very serious. They had pulled out 13 bodies so far, but the task was tricky because the building could collapse.
Three of the victims were identified by their fingerprints. The rest would need to be identified using DNA.
Firefighters arrived at the scene at 7:00 a.m. and put out the fire by 8:00 a.m., he added.
Officials reported that four people, two women aged 22 and 25, and two men in their forties, were treated for breathing in smoke.
Birthday party
A spokesperson from the police mentioned there was a birthday party at the club on Saturday night. They’re trying to find some attendees who haven’t been located yet.
According to initial reports, the fire started on the first floor of the nightclub, which has both a ground floor and a first floor, said Diego Seral, the national police spokesperson, speaking to Radio Onda Regional de Murcia.
Video footage from the city’s firefighting team shows firefighters with a long hose approaching bright orange flames inside the venue, passing by bar tables that still have drinks on them.
Over 40 firefighters and 12 emergency vehicles were on the scene, as per authorities.
Spain’s king expressed feeling “pain and dismay” about “this tragic day in Murcia” and thanked rescue workers for their “exemplary work.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez shared his sympathy with the victims and their families after the tragic fire in a Murcia nightclub.
A spokesperson from the police mentioned there was a birthday party at the club on Saturday night. They’re trying to find some attendees who haven’t been located yet.
According to initial reports, the fire started on the first floor of the nightclub, which has both a ground floor and a first floor, said Diego Seral, the national police spokesperson, speaking to Radio Onda Regional de Murcia.
Video footage from the city’s firefighting team shows firefighters with a long hose approaching bright orange flames inside the venue, passing by bar tables that still have drinks on them.
Over 40 firefighters and 12 emergency vehicles were on the scene, as per authorities.
Spain’s king expressed feeling “pain and dismay” about “this tragic day in Murcia” and thanked rescue workers for their “exemplary work.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez shared his sympathy with the victims and their families after the tragic fire in a Murcia nightclub.
Three days of mourning
Carlos Alcaraz, the tennis star from Spain who won Wimbledon this year and is from Murcia, expressed deep sorrow about the tragic news, stating he was greatly impacted by it.
The mayor of the city declared three days of mourning and established a place for the families of the victims to gather. Bars and restaurants in the city will stay closed on Sunday as a sign of respect for the victims, according to Hoytu, the local hotel-restaurant association.
Back in 2017, a crowded nightclub in the holiday destination of Tenerife had a floor collapse, causing 40 people to get injured. Among them were individuals from various countries like France, Britain, Romania, and Belgium.
Also, in 1990, a nightclub fire in the northeastern city of Zaragoza took the lives of 43 people.
SOURCE:FRANCE24