Apartment Burns In Spain, 10 People Die

UNSPLASH/Hermes Rivera ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Spanish firefighters and police found 10 victims killed in a fire that hit an apartment building in Valencia, a government official said on Friday (23/2) evening local time.

The Bernabe pillar, the official, said the victims were identified after authorities inspected the building, which was scorched after being engulfed in flames for nearly 24 hours.

"We cannot rule out the possibility of more victims, there will be more examinations," he said, adding the identities of the victims were in accordance with those reported missing.

Reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Saturday, February 24, four victims came from one family, namely mother, father, 3-year-old girl and a newborn, El Pais reported.

Valencia President Carlos Mazon said 15 people were injured, five of them were firefighters, but none were seriously injured.

On Thursday (22/2), firefighters managed to save two people who saved themselves on the balcony of their apartment. An officer also had to jump from the second floor to avoid the flames.

Allegedly a polyuretan

Experts initially told Spanish media that the building was coated with polyuretan, an ingredient also used by Grenfell Tower in London that caught fire in 2017 and killed 72 people.

The sightings of the two fires were similar, buildings in London and Valencia were engulfed in flames in about 30 minutes after the fire broke out. Thick black smoke billowing into the air.

However, the official Valencia architects later denied the building was using highly flammable materials, saying it was a mineral stakeline.

The head of the agency estimates that the fire was spreading so quickly because of the air space inside the building, besides the strong winds.

The building was established between 2005 and 2009, according to local media.

Esther Puchades, vice president of the College of Industrial Technical Engineers of Valencia, initially told broadcast media Cadena Ser that most likely a polyuretan was the cause, which she thought could be a pemantic' when hit by the fire.

According to Valencia Plaza, he said, they should wait for an investigation to find out the materials used.

"All signs show that the polyuretan causes flames and smoke," he said.

"But according to my experience, the fasad has some materials with plastic components," he added.

Media reports said the fire broke out on the eighth floor and spread to two residential apartment buildings of about 450 people.

Valencia has announced three days of mourning, including postponing the first event of the famous Las Fallas festival.