The devastating fire in a building in Valencia left behind at least four dead, dozens of injured and 14 missing people still wanted by rescue teams. With the façade materials as the main hypothesis of the surprising speed of spread of the flames, several agents from the Scientific Police unit of the National Police are deployed in the operation and will access the burned homes together with the firefighters when the conditions allow it.
As reported by the National Police, mixed teams of Scientific Police and Firefighters will be formed to inspect the building, evaluate the situation and begin to investigate the causes of the incident.
The Valencia City Council is already working on a solution for the coming months for all the residents affected by the fire in the Campanar neighborhood – which has so far left four dead and several people missing – because “there are people here who have lost it everything, starting with the documentation”. “We don’t want them to have even a minute of uncertainty.”
This was stated by the mayor, María José Catalá, in response to the media at the Advanced Command Post installed in the vicinity of the affected area.
The first mayor stressed that Valencia “is experiencing a very difficult time” and began her intervention by thanking the security forces and bodies who “have literally risked their lives to try to save and rescue some neighbors.” In fact, she recalled that some of the people who are hospitalized are neighbors who were injured.
In this sense, he explained that now the Firefighters are analyzing when the building can be accessed and, to this end, drones and some cranes are being used and ensuring stability.
Catalá has also reported that two service points have been enabled. One of them has been installed in the fire area, with the social team and psychologists to care for relatives of unlocated people.
Likewise, since 8:30 a.m. this morning, the service point for people affected by the fire has been in operation, in the Tabacalera municipal building, with specialized personnel for the first emergency procedures. For their part, 36 people have been transferred to a hotel so that they can be there for the next week.
The mayor has stressed that the council is working on this “solution for all residents in the coming months.” “There are people here who have lost everything, starting with the documentation and we don’t want them to have a single minute of uncertainty. They are going to need everything and we are working with Valencian companies on all of this,” said Catalá, who thanked to these entities.
Likewise, he highlighted the “example of generosity” given by the neighbors. “València has turned its attention to this tragedy,” he added.
Today the City Council will decree three days of official mourning and has suspended all official events, as well as the ‘Crida’, with which the Fallas cycle traditionally begins and which was scheduled for this Sunday.
“Our main objective is to accompany people in grief and help people who have lost a family member and people in need who have lost documentation, memories, clothes and everything,” he concluded.
