In Valencia, a fourteen-storey apartment building was hit by a fierce fire, injuring at least thirteen people. Spanish news sources report that there are still people in the building.
The fire broke out around 5:20 PM on the fourth floor and grew quickly due to the wind. As a result, the fire quickly spread to higher floors. Television images show a facade completely engulfed in flames, with burning parts falling and sounds of explosions coming from inside.
There are reports that some residents are still in the building. Images of residents who have fled to their balconies are circulating on social media. There are unconfirmed reports that the fire has spread to a nearby building.
Fire brigade and ambulances were deployed en masse
To fight the fire, sixteen fire teams and five ambulances were deployed in the affluent Campanar district in the north of the city. At least thirteen people, including six firefighters, were taken to hospital for burns or smoke inhalation.
As a precautionary measure, authorities have set up a field hospital next to the affected building. The help of the UME, a military emergency response unit that is usually deployed during major forest fires, has also been requested.
The impact of the fire in Valencia
The building in question, which has 138 apartments where, according to Spanish media, 450 people would live, is relatively new. The fire made it look like a huge torch. Burning material from the facade fell to the ground, was spread by the wind and left burning around the building. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
