This Thursday afternoon all the media in Spain have held their breath in a tense moment apart from the current situation. Around five in the afternoon, a fire broke out in a ten-story building on Mestre Rodrigo Avenue in Valencia, in the Campanar neighborhood. In a matter of a few hours, the fire had consumed the entire block and left chilling images, like a harrowing rescue by firefighters.
Many of the current affairs and entertainment programs on the grid have dedicated part of their duration to updating what happened, including El Hormiguero with Pablo Motos. The one from Requena had Vicky Luengo and Hovik Keuchkerian, protagonists of the Reina Roja series on Prime Video, as main guests; but before starting the interview he sent a message about the fire in the first minutes of broadcast.
“These kinds of things underline once again that life changes in a second. We are very fragile. We must celebrate every second of our existence and love each other more,” said the presenter, drawing applause from the audience present on the set in San Sebastián de los Reyes. During the current discussion, Cristina Pardo was able to give new details, among them that the possible cause of the rapid spread was a material present on the façade.
The unexpected declaration of this fire has completely altered the afternoon schedule, usually starring Ana Rosa Quintana and Sonsoles Ónega in the hearings. And now Sonsoles and TardeAR have completely altered their timelines, dedicating detailed and exhaustive coverage from Valencia. The presenters themselves were affected, but they have also starred in moments questioned by viewers.
On Telecinco, the call from a neighbor near the damaged building has caused outrage, after the girl lamented live that she could not find her partner, who lives there. Many users have asked that the connection be cut off immediately, considering that it was frivolizing the anguish of the affected person and the state of her romantic partner. Some controversies that have also arisen on Antena 3.
The Sonsoles Ónega program has maintained live coverage with two cameras: one with a more general shot of the building and another with short shots, where several neighbors were seen asking the firefighters for help. These images have also been seen in El Hormiguero, and have been the same reason for protest among viewers: “It seems too banal to me that the images of people on the balconies suffering are shown, while they see how their entire life is burning and no one can rescue them.”
