In the early hours of October 1, a fire erupted at the Fonda nightclub in Murcia, a city in southeastern Spain. The blaze quickly spread to the neighboring Teatre and Golden clubs. Murcia’s Mayor, José Ballesta, has confirmed that the incident claimed the lives of at least 13 individuals.
The investigators believe that the fire started on the first floor of the Fonda nightclub around 6 am. Upon further examination, emergency services discovered several victims at this location. The first responders faced significant challenges, grappling with the collapse of the nightclub’s roof, according to spokesperson Diego Seral of Spain’s National Police. Videos circulating online depict the intensity of the inferno, revealing towering flames and billowing smoke pouring out of the club’s windows.
A prompt response was initiated, with nearly 40 firefighters and 12 fire trucks rushing to the scene. They battled the flames, working tirelessly to extinguish the fire and rescue potential survivors. Numerous birthday celebrations were in progress in the three affected clubs.
Sharing their harrowing experience, an unidentified survivor highlighted the fortunate timing of their escape just before the alarms sounded and the power was cut off. However, they expressed deep concern for their missing loved ones, including close family members and friends who remain unaccounted for.
In the aftermath of this tragic event, Mayor José Ballesta declared a three-day mourning period for the city of Murcia. As a sign of respect for the victims, flags at Murcia’s City Hall were lowered to half-mast. The city mourns the loss of lives, and investigations continue to determine the factors that led to this disastrous incident.