At least eleven people have died and another four have been injured in the fire at the Fonda Milagros and Teatre nightclubs, which share the same premises and are located in the Atalayas leisure area, in Murcia. Although it is feared that the number of victims could rise, since several people who were inside the premises at the time of the event are still missing. Relatives and witnesses to the event have drawn up a list of fifteen missing persons that they have provided to the police.
The fire started at 6 in the morning and the fire had already been extinguished two hours later. Firefighters continue working at the scene. The upper structure of the premises has collapsed and the poor condition in which it has been left is making the removal work difficult.
The identity of the victims as well as the cause of the fire and the exact place where it started are not yet known exactly, but the emergency services are working intensively on it, according to authorities.
The mayor of Murcia, José Ballesta, through his Twitter account has confirmed the tragedy. The regional president, Fernando López Miras, was also "dismayed" as he closely followed the news of the fire.
The Murcia Sports Palace has been enabled to offer psychological support to the victims and their families.
The four injured by smoke inhalation in the fire are two women, ages 22 and 25, and two men, ages 41 and 45. It seems that other slightly injured people have come on their own to be treated at different health centers.
The mayor of the city has declared three days of official mourning for those who died in the fire and has conveyed, on behalf of the entire Municipal Corporation, his condolences to the family and friends of the victims. In addition, the Murcia City Council has announced that the entire agenda of events scheduled for today is suspended.
The acting President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has shown in a tweet his "affection and solidarity" with the victims and relatives of the tragic fire and has offered the regional government "the support and collaboration" of the State.
The fire started at 6 a.m. and firefighters managed to extinguish the flames around 8 a.m. The first information suggests that the fire originated in a location currently shared by two nightclubs, Teatre and Fonda Milagros. As Sub-Inspector Diego Seral, spokesperson for the National Police in Murcia, explained to the media, it would be a place "that was originally the Teatre nightclub and that at a given moment was divided into two completely different hospitality venues." Next to these two nightclubs, on the same block, is another one called Golden, which has not been affected although it has been evacuated as a precaution.
"It is true that the Fonda Milagros premises is where most of the damage from the fire appears, including significant structural damage that has caused a collapse of the structure towards the interior of the establishment," he noted, while adding that it is in that location "where the deceased people are being found", although they still do not know where the fire started, this will be determined by the subsequent investigation.
Some unconfirmed sources suggest that the place where the most bodies have been found would be a private room at the Fonda Milagros where a family was celebrating with some friends.
Due to the state of the interior of the premises, the structure of the building has had to be shored up and, once the safety of the people who have to work inside has been guaranteed, "the members of the scientific police will access to carry out the corresponding visual inspection and search for and determine the origin of that fire," Seral added.
The police spokesperson has warned that the work to identify the deceased will take time and this information will be provided when these people are completely identified.
He has indicated that the Fire Investigation Group of the Scientific Police, belonging to the Higher Headquarters of the National Police of Murcia, as well as the homicide group, are working "intensely" at the site to determine the origin of the fire and the subsequent criminal responsibilities. that could happen."
He has asked for "patience" and "calm" in reporting these identifications, although he understands "the tremendous tragedy that the relatives of the deceased people and those people from whom there is still no communication are suffering."
