A high-rise apartment building was largely destroyed in a major fire in the Spanish coastal metropolis of Valencia. According to the emergency services, the fire broke out in an apartment on the fourth floor and spread rapidly.
On social media you can see how the facade of the relatively new 14-story house is ablaze from the ground floor to the flat roof. The building resembles a huge torch. Burning facade parts made of apparently highly flammable material fall into the depths and continue to burn there. According to the rescue service, 16 fire engines are deployed to fight the fire. There is a huge cloud of black smoke above the building. Strong winds continue to fan the fire.
It is not yet known whether anyone was injured, but security authorities have begun setting up a makeshift field hospital nearby. Neighbors report people who are said to have tried to draw attention to themselves with flashlights on balconies.
The city’s emergency center closed all access routes and sent ten fire brigade units to the scene of the accident. The public is asked not to approach the burning house.