A new update on the Campanar building fire in Valencia confirms that the tragedy, which claimed ten lives, originated inside apartment 86. After lifting the secrecy surrounding the case and continuing investigations, authorities now point to an appliance malfunction in the kitchen as the likely cause. This finding undermines the early theory that a balcony awning could be responsible for the blaze.
Pilar Bernabé, the regional government delegate for Valencia, stated that the cause appears to be a kitchen appliance malfunction. She spoke to reporters after a conference associated with a fellow party member, eurodeputy Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero, noting that the fire seemingly began inside the apartment and that the initial focus had shifted away from exterior factors toward an internal electrical issue.
Bernabé explained that once the file was opened, there was no indication of a criminal act or intent. The episode is described as an accident that occurred inside apartment 86, with the likely culprit being an electrical appliance in the kitchen. She suggested a refrigerator could have played a role in starting the fire.
The National Police’s Valencia Major Investigation Brigade informed the Court of Instruction No. 9 that criminal or illicit origins can be ruled out based on the evidence available at the time. The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Valencia has issued similar statements, indicating that the initial investigations do not support a criminal origin for the fire at the Rafael Alberti street location.
Following this information, the court provisionally ordered a dismissal of the case pending the completion of ongoing police analyses and investigations. The aim remains to determine the exact origin of the fire, even though the court’s action closes the formal criminal proceedings for now.
The incident occurred on a Thursday afternoon, February 23, shortly after 5:30 p.m., in apartment 86 on the building’s eighth floor. The flames rapidly spread through the structure due to the building’s facade design, resulting in the worst fire in the city of Valencia in recent memory with ten fatalities.
These developments come as authorities continue to review all aspects of the incident, with investigators seeking to confirm the precise sequence of events and the specific appliance involved. The investigation process remains ongoing to ensure clarity on how the tragedy began and to confirm that all safety measures were appropriately followed at the time.