The Leading News & Information Service For The Facilities, Workplace & Built Environment Community

What We Know so Far About the Valencia Apartment Block Fire

What We Know so Far About the Valencia Apartment Block Fire
23 February 2024 | Updated 27 February 2024
 

Emergency services have attended the scene of a fire at a high-rise apartment complex in Valencia, Spain 

The fire occurred on Thursday 22 February at a 14-storey block in the Campanar neighbourhood, at the intersection of Maestro Rodrigo and Poeta Rafael Alberti avenues. It also spread to adjoining buildings.

Over twenty fire crews used cranes to rescue residents from balconies. Police reports confirm that at least ten people have died.

The cause of the fire is unknown currently, but it has been reported that it started on the seventh floor and spread quickly.

 

Why did the Fire Spread so Quickly?

 

Many have speculated that the façade of the building may be responsible for the fast spread of the fire, reminiscent of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.

Esther Puchades, Vice President of the College of Industrial Technical Engineers of Valencia has previously inspected the building and told news agency Efe that the aluminium plates of the façade were coated with flammable polyurethane.

Strong winds on the day of the fire are also thought to have contributed.

 

How old is the Building?

 

According to Spanish daily newspaper El Pais, the apartment block was built in 2018. It is thought that there are more than 130 flats in the building.

Editor’s note: this is a developing news story with all information correct at the time of publication 

Picture: a photograph of a set of lockers, with firefighting protective equipment hanging inside them. Protective headwear can be seen on top of the lockers. Image Credit: Unsplash

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 23 February 2024

Share


Related Tags


Related Articles

59% of Business Electrical Fires Caused by Faulty Equipment

Data from UK fire and rescue authorities has identified the number of electrical fire-related callouts to businesses. Using statistics from 32 fire and...

 Read Full Article
The Silk Pavilion – Silk as a Building Material of The Future

A structure made from rigidized silk panels has been showcased at an architecture festival in Spain. The pavilion was unveiled at Concéntrico, the...

 Read Full Article
Kings Secure Technologies Acquires EFire

Kings Secure Technologies is to acquire UK fire and life safety systems provider East Fire Extinguishers and Alarms. First established in 2011 and headquartered in...

 Read Full Article
LHC Launches New Fire Safety Framework

Procurement consortium LHC is asking fire safety experts to get involved in the new Fire Safety (FS2) Framework. FS2 covers the end-to-end spectrum of fire safety...

 Read Full Article
IWFM Calls on FMs to Update Fire Safety Knowledge for 2023

IWFM and PlanRadar have released a newly updated fire safety management good practice guide for its members. The document covers the changes to fire safety from 23...

 Read Full Article
BESA Warns of Critical Fire Safety Issue in Ventilation Systems

The Building Engineering Services Association has issued an urgent warning about a potential fire safety weakness in a large number of building ventilation...

 Read Full Article
MP Says Notre-Dame Scale Fire Could Happen in Parliament ‘Any Day’

MP Andrea Leadsom has highlighted the urgency of the Houses of Parliament refurbishment by claiming that a fire similar to Notre-Dame cathedral could happen “any...

 Read Full Article
Building Collapses in China’s Hunan Province

A residential building in Changsha, in central China's Hunan Province, has collapsed. According to state broadcaster CGTN, the building in Changsha's...

 Read Full Article
Extra Staircase Added to Cuba Street Tower

New plans for Cuba Street Tower near Canary Wharf now feature a second additional staircase. The Architect’s Journal has revealed that Morris+Company...

 Read Full Article
Whitechapel Skyscraper Fire Cause Under Investigation

The cause of a fire at a block of flats and offices on Whitechapel High Street is being investigated. Twenty fire engines and around 125 firefighters attended the...

 Read Full Article