4 dead and 14 injured in a major fire in the Valencia Tower

The fire caused major damage to the fourteen-storey residential building, which also threatens the surrounding buildings. Social media showed how the modern building was engulfed in flames from the ground floor to the flat roof.

According to emergency services, the fire broke out at around 5:30 pm on Thursday on the fourth floor, where the flames spread quickly. A few hours later, all fourteen floors were engulfed in flames, a sea of ​​flames from the floor to the roof. Pictures circulated on social media and local television also showed burning materials falling from the building. Authorities urged people to avoid the area.

Emergency services write on X that they are on scene with 22 fire engines and five ambulances. In addition, authorities requested assistance from UME's Military Emergency Unit, which usually only responds to forest fires. As a precaution, a field hospital has also been set up in the area to quickly treat the injured. Authorities say eight residents and six firefighters were taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation or burns.

In this chaos, it is not clear whether there are still people trapped in the building. City Mayor María José Catala reported Friday morning that “nine to fifteen people” were still missing. The relatively new building contains 138 apartments. According to local reporters, the fire brigade was able to rescue many people with the help of a tow truck. Passersby reportedly heard residents calling for help from their balconies. One of them told public radio that she saw firefighters rushing to rescue a boy trapped on the first floor.

According to various reports and photos, the fire spread to a neighboring building. People who cannot spend the night at home are safely accommodated in hotels. The drama takes place in Campanar, an affluent neighborhood north of the center of the Spanish coastal city.