A devastating fire at a care home near Zaragoza, Spain, has resulted in the deaths of at least ten individuals, with several others injured. The incident occurred early Friday morning in Villafranca de Ebro, where emergency services responded to the scene around 5:00 AM local time. At the time of the fire, 82 residents were living in the facility, which specializes in caring for individuals with dementia and mental health issues.
Local reports indicate that the care home had been operational for 16 years and originally served as a retirement residence. Eyewitness accounts suggest that a fire may have started from a mattress in one of the rooms.
According to Villafranca de Ebro’s mayor, Volga Ramírez, smoke inhalation contributed significantly to the number of fatalities. Residents reported that conditions inside were dire, making it nearly impossible to breathe due to thick smoke.
Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze quickly, but not before it caused significant tragedy. Two additional people were hospitalized, including one individual in critical condition. The ages of those who lost their lives remain undisclosed as investigations into the incident continue.
The tragic event has sparked an outpouring of condolences from local and national officials. Fernando Beltrán, the Spanish government’s delegate in the Aragón region, expressed his sympathies and assured ongoing support for those impacted by the fire as well as monitoring the investigation’s progress.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also voiced his shock over this catastrophic event. This incident echoes a similar tragedy from nine years ago, when a fire at another retirement facility in Zaragoza resulted in nine deaths.
As Spain grapples with adverse weather conditions—characterized by floods and torrential rain—authorities have heightened alerts for extreme rainfall risks, emphasizing community resilience amid ongoing challenges.
The Villafranca de Ebro community is now left mourning its losses while reflecting on safety measures needed to prevent future tragedies in care facilities across the nation.
Trump’s Tariff Plans: A Day-One Agenda Against Drug and Human Trafficking In a bold move to combat drug and human smuggling, President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to impose significant tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China immediately after his inauguration on January 20.
Government Unveils “Get Britain Working” Initiative to Combat Unemployment In a bid to rejuvenate the UK job market, the government has introduced its ambitious “Get Britain Working” initiative, promising extensive reforms aimed at reducing the benefits bill and increasing employment.