Lorraine Williamson
Madrid has begun the year with a deadly reminder of how quickly a home fire can turn lethal. Three people died in the early hours of Friday after a blaze tore through a third-floor apartment in Carabanchel, in the south-west of the capital.
Emergency services say two victims died from smoke inhalation, while a third died from severe burns. The fire broke out in an apartment on Calle Moreno at around 3.00 am, with the police now investigating the cause.
A fast-moving fire, and smoke reaching the top floors
Firefighters arriving on scene found the blaze “very virulent”, with thick smoke and intense heat filling the apartment. According to emergency officials, the flames pushed out through the rear façade, and smoke spread upwards to two attic apartments.
Two people on the upper floors were rescued as a precaution and were reported to be in a stable condition. Fire crews also faced delays getting inside because of a reinforced security door, according to accounts shared by emergency services and local reporting.
Several outlets reported the dead were two women and a man, believed to be from the same family, including an elderly woman. Regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso posted condolences on X, expressing support for the victims’ families and loved ones.
Another overnight blaze in Leganés leaves residents evacuated
Just hours earlier, another fire in the Madrid region forced evacuations in Leganés. A bedroom fire in an apartment on Calle Doctor Martín Vegue led to 11 residents being evacuated, with four people taken to hospital suffering mild smoke inhalation, according to emergency reports.
Officials said the flames were contained to one room, but smoke filled the stairwell — a common danger in blocks of flats, where shared escape routes can become hazardous within minutes.
Why these fires are so often deadly in winter
Spain’s fire experts have long warned that the cold months are when the risk spikes — more heaters, more closed windows, and more overnight incidents. Fundación MAPFRE’s latest annual study reported 234 deaths in fires and explosions in 2024, with 172 of those deaths occurring in homes, and smoke or toxic gases cited as the leading cause of death.
The Community of Madrid has also highlighted the same pattern: home fires are frequently fatal at night, and older residents are among the most vulnerable.
What investigators will be looking at now
Police will examine the flat in Carabanchel to establish where the fire started and what fuelled its rapid spread, including whether the fire load in the living room area accelerated the blaze, and how smoke moved through the building.
For residents elsewhere, the grim lesson is familiar: in most fatal home fires, it’s not the flames but the smoke that kills. That reality is reflected in Spain’s national figures year after year — and it’s why fire services continue to push smoke alarms and basic escape planning, particularly for older people and those living in blocks.
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