BENIDORM – A fire in a 17-storey building in Benidorm on Tuesday afternoon has left one 39-year-old man seriously injured. According to the firefighters his dog died as a result of the blaze. The entire building had to be evacuated due to the intensity of the flames.
The injured tenant of the eventually completely burnt-out house has been transferred to the La Fe hospital in Valencia, the Centre for Emergency Relief and Information (CICU) reports. The fire broke out a little after 5.30 pm in a residence on the ninth floor of a 17-story building at number 8 Asturias Street, as reported by the provincial fire department. It is in the zone of the famous Costa Blanca tourist city bordering the municipality of Finestrat.
Flames along the facade and charred canopies
The building with 60 homes had to be completely evacuated because the flames spread through the damaged facade and also burned awnings and blinds.
🔴❌ ÚLTIMA HORA
🔥 Incendio en un edificio cercano a la calle Pajares. Cerca del Hotel Bali al lado de la Cala de #Benidorm
Por el momento se desconocen causa, origen y daños.
Se han trasladado ya @BomberosDipuALC
Seguiremos informando.
📸 Paula García Arrufat pic.twitter.com/DE7cZIZpTP
— NexaFM (@nexa_fm) November 29, 2022
According to the provincial fire department, the firefighters could see the fire from outside the building when they arrived. At that moment, the local police were already evacuating the building. Once inside, firefighters found a lifeless dog. At 8.05 pm, the fire was considered extinguished.
Third-degree burns
A medical team assisted the injured 39-year-old man, who had third-degree (very severe) burns on 20% of his body surface. However, the health workers managed to stabilise him. Thereafter, he was first transferred to the Marina Baixa Hospital in La Vila Joyosa. Finally, because of his serious injuries his caretakers transported him in an Advanced Life Support ambulance to the Santa Fe Hospital in Valencia. There they admitted him to the burns ward.
Two SAMU fire units travelled to the scene, as well as a command and headquarters unit, a ladder truck, a sergeant, two corporals and five firefighters from Benidorm parks. Local and National Police installed an Advanced Command Post (PMA) at the scene of the events.
Importante intervención esta tarde por incendio de vivienda situada en 9ª planta, Benidorm.Destacamos la gran coordinación con @plbnd y @Policianacional Lamentablemente el piso quedo calcinado y su inquilino fue atendido por quemaduras, le deseamos pronta recuperación#cpba pic.twitter.com/QMULeQ5Vbh
— Consorcio Provincial Bomberos Alicante (@BomberosDipuALC) November 29, 2022
The police suspect that an improper combustion of a stove or an improper use of a stove in bad condition provoked the fire. However, the fire service has launched an investigation into the exact cause. The fire was visible from most of Benidorm Bay. The provincial fire brigade wished the injured man a speedy recovery on Twitter.
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