Francisco Adán, the lawyer representing the Fonda Milagros venue, spoke to reporters from a location near the scene this Monday to dispute claims that the plant had been ordered to stop operating. The Murcia Municipal Council, conversely, asserted that the fire sparked in the neighboring Teatre nightclub. The incident has drawn intense scrutiny over licensing and safety procedures that were supposed to be in place for both establishments.
Adán conveyed that his client, the owner of Fonda Milagros, had told him the establishment possessed a valid license, even though the supporting documents were said to be inside the facility and were reportedly destroyed by the blaze. He emphasized that the owner had received no formal notice indicating a license termination and insisted the premises complied with applicable safety standards at all times according to available information.
The attorney recalled that less than a year earlier an audit had raised questions about the operation of Fonda Milagros. He noted that the city council had highlighted two alterations that had been made in response to prior concerns, specifically the absence of two fire doors and the removal of a flammable object. Additional work affecting sound insulation had also been implemented. These steps, he suggested, demonstrated ongoing attention to compliance and safety requirements.
Adán argued that the city council was well aware that the facilities were in operation and that his client had never received any notice indicating that the license had been revoked. He argued that the venue met the pertinent security criteria and stressed that the documents usually required for licensing were currently inside the building, a fact he acknowledged could not be verified without examining the specific papers anew after the fire.
According to the lawyer, the establishment initially operated under a license originally belonging to Teatre and then transferred at some point. He described a night in which he observed several videos showing Teatre using the word “Remember” at a party shortly before the blaze, and he speculated that cold fireballs could rise high enough to damage electrical cables, although the exact cause had not been determined. He suggested that the sequence of events might be linked to the first flames and underscored the need for expert analysis and police investigation to establish the fire’s origin definitively.
Adán expressed a desire for independent investigators to be allowed full access so they could determine precisely where the fire began and which factors contributed to the rapid spread of flames. He admitted that some of the license documentation was within the facility and had reportedly burned in the blaze, noting that he had not been able to review the documents firsthand to verify who had signed the termination decision and who had not within the city council. The aim, he said, was to clarify the administrative history tied to the licenses involved.
They claim that Teatre also has a license
María Dolores Abellán, the spokesperson for the Teatre nightclub, stated that the operation depended on the possession of the appropriate municipal license. She indicated that the property owner had informed her that she had not personally seen the license document, but she emphasized that due process appeared to be in progress as investigators collected all relevant information to shed light on the incident.
Abellán’s comments came after parallel statements from the Fonda Milagros attorney, who asserted that the root cause of the tragedy lay with the building associated with Teatre. She reiterated that the city council had previously indicated that both venues should have halted operations due to noncompliance and a documented closure order issued more than a year earlier.
City authorities have maintained that both establishments operated without authorization in violation of municipal orders. Officials indicated that the closure mandates were in place precisely because the sites did not meet safety requirements, a breach that warranted cessation of operations until remedial steps were completed. As investigators continue their work, the community awaits a definitive account of how the incidents unfolded and which safety measures were ultimately found to be insufficient. In the meantime, families affected by the tragedy seek accountability and assurances that similar events will be prevented in the future. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities and legal representatives calling for transparency and careful scrutiny of licensing records, inspection histories, and the enforcement actions surrounding both venues.