A large fire devastates two residential buildings in Valencia and leaves 4 dead

Two people are rescued with cranes by firefighters after being trapped for hours on a balcony

A large fire, which is still active, destroyed two buildings this Thursday afternoon on Maestro Rodrigo de València street, in the Campanar neighborhood, only the first of them with 138 homes, which in a short space of time It has been engulfed in flames and with the structure already visible on the upper floors.

As a result of the fire, four people have died and 14 have required medical assistance: the injured are 9 men, between 25 and 57 years old; 4 are women between 27 and 81 years old; and there is also a minor under 7 years old. Included in this balance are the firefighters who have been injured during the work, which, according to the fire emergency deputy director, Jorge Suárez, are at least 6. With the exception of two women who have been discharged 'on site' , the rest have been transferred to different hospital centers in the capital.

The flames have spread very quickly along the façade of the first of the buildings, 14 floors, according to experts, as a result of the wind that was blowing at that time - from the west, with gusts of between 50 and 60 km/h - - and because, as the professor of the Department of Civil Engineering of Construction and Civil Engineering Projects of the Universitat Politècnica de València, Antonio Hospitaler, explained to Europa Press, it was built of a combustible material.

Specifically, according to the specialist who assessed the building a few years ago, Esther Puchades, the façade contained polyurethane, which is highly flammable, "and that is what caused the building to burn in less than half an hour," she stated in statements. to À Punt, collected by Europa Press. The construction dates back to around 2005.

During the afternoon there were moments of great tension, with two people who had been trapped on a balcony, and whom the firefighters were finally able to rescue, after a few hours, with two cranes, amid the applause of the neighbors concentrated nearby. of the place, which has been cordoned off by the National Police and with Maestro Rodrigo and General Avilés avenues closed to traffic.

As neighbors have explained to À Punt, some of them have only been able to grab the essentials before leaving through the stairs and others have detailed that the intervention of the building's concierge has been essential for them to escape in time.

In fact, the Emergency Coordination Center has asked citizens and neighbors not to approach the place due to the dangerous situation, a request that has also been echoed by the mayor of the city, María José Catalá, who He has traveled to the area as has the 'president' of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, and the Government delegate, Pilar Bernabé.

Since the coordination of the emergency, hotels have been set up to accommodate residents who have lost their homes, for whom transportation has been facilitated, if they so decided, in buses from the Municipal Transport Company. Thus, they have gathered them, next to the field hospital set up for care, to identify them and, later, transfer them from the place.

Likewise, an information telephone number has been activated for people affected by the emergency, which is integrated into 112: 690 16 78 30. The Spanish Red Cross has also activated three psychologists and a monitor to accompany the emergency response teams. and communications to support affected people.

EXTINCTION EFFECTS

22 firefighters from Valencia city and the Provincial Consortium are collaborating in the extinction tasks, the Military Emergency Unit has been mobilized and the State Security Forces and Bodies are also participating.

During the night, the Emergency Information and Coordination Center maintains a device made up of two SAMU units, two basic life support units, a support and coordination unit, a multiple victim assistance vehicle, a communications vehicle and the hospital. campaign.

The fire has caused great concern and "consternation", with messages from the Royal Family to the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez; to the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and leaders of other autonomies or mayors of other Autonomous Communities.

Likewise, it has sparked a solidarity movement among the residents of the neighborhood: an academy has been organized to distribute blankets, warm clothing and food to the affected residents.