Spain: Birthday party goes awry as nightclub catches fire, 13 killed
Visuals of rescue effort in Southeastern Spain's Murcia
At least 13people were killed in a fire in a nightclub on Sunday morning in Murcia in southeastern Spain. The death toll is likely to increase, emergency services warned.
In a statement on social media, emergency services initially found "six fatal victims", and saidthat the rescuers had managed to enter the building after being alerted at 6:00 am local time (0400 GMT) that a fire had broken out in the nightclub. Later on, the death toll rose to 13.
According to local reports, the fire broke out in the popular two-storey Teatre nightclubin the Atalayas area.Video shared online shows flames engulfing the building andthickand dark smoke billowing out of its large windows.
The rescuers were still looking for people who were missing and on the premises at the time.
"We are devastated," Murcia Mayor Jose Ballesta said on Spanish TV channel 24h, adding rescuers were still searching for several people reported missing.
He has decreed three days of mourning in Murcia. Meanwhile, four people are being treated for smoke inhalation. A local sports venue is being used to provide counselling for those affected.
Birthday party was going on
The officers are yet to find out what caused the fire, which broke out when the club was still busy.The Murcia town hall said it deeply regretted the accident and offered condolences to those affected.
A police spokesperson said that a birthday party was being held at the club on Saturday night.
"According to initial information, the fire broke out on the first floor of the nightclub, which has a ground floor and a first floor," Diego Seral, the national police spokesman told radio Onda Regional de Murcia, AFP reported.
Forensic and judicial police experts "have been deployed to the Murcia nightclub where the fire broke out this morning to investigate the cause," the national police service said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
More than 40 firefighters and 12 emergency vehicles were attending the scene, AFP reported.
Prime Minister Sanchez reacts
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez voiced "solidarity with the victims and relatives of the tragic fire in a Murcia nightclub".
The city's town hall had earlier said it "deeply regrets" the accident and offered condolences to those affected.
WATCH WION LIVE HERE
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.