In a heart-wrenching incident that has left the city of Murcia in southeast Spain in shock, a fire broke out at the Teatre nightclub, claiming the lives of 11 people. The national police confirmed the death toll. Rescue operations are still ongoing as fears grow that the number of fatalities may rise.
The fire reportedly started on the top floor of the two-story nightclub while it was bustling with patrons. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and an investigation is underway by the Murcia Police’s Homicide Group.
13 dead in Spain’s deadliest nightclub fire in decades as rescuers search for more victims https://t.co/bFoCEVWiMR pic.twitter.com/AerW1AG65A
— CNN International (@cnni) October 1, 2023
This is not the first time that the Teatre nightclub has been the site of a fire. In 2009, a blaze caused by cables on the building’s façade led to the evacuation of 50 people, although no injuries or deaths were reported then.
The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning, and emergency services were alerted around 6 a.m. local time. Approximately 40 firefighters in 12 fire engines rushed to the scene.
It took them four hours to enter the building due to the intensity of the fire. Once inside, they discovered four bodies initially, followed by two more after 40 minutes, and another one an hour later. Later, it was revealed six more people had succumbed to the fire.
Among the victims were two women and two men, aged between 22 and 45, who suffered from smoke inhalation. It is believed that eight missing individuals were part of a group celebrating a birthday at the nightclub.
Firefighters are currently searching for these missing people, who are thought to have been in the nightclub when the fire broke out. In response to this devastating event, the city’s mayor, Jose Ballesta, announced three days of mourning.
A team of psychologists, social workers, ten Civil Protection workers, and two Local Police officers have been deployed at the city’s sports arena, the Murcia Sports Palace, to provide psychological support to those affected by the tragedy.
Officials have confirmed that a nightclub fire in Murcia, southeast Spain, has claimed the lives of at least 13 individuals.
Rescue teams are currently working to locate those still missing following the early morning blaze, which engulfed three interconnected nightclubs.… pic.twitter.com/S6qnOaxaI5
— newslivegh (@newslivegh_com) October 1, 2023
The incident raised serious questions about the safety measures in place at the nightclub. The fact that this is the second fire at the Teatre nightclub in less than 15 years points to a possible lack of adequate fire safety protocols.
As the investigation continues, it is hoped that the cause of the fire will be determined, and appropriate measures will be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future.
