The bous al carrer celebrations in Meliana have stunned the Valencian Community, with two fatalities reported on Tuesday and a third death announced within the following day. The incidents cast a harsh light on the risks tied to these widely watched bullfighting events and rekindle calls for clearer safety standards and better crowd management in both rural fiestas and urban gatherings.
The second casualty was a 56-year-old man from Albacete who had been injured the week before during a bous al carrer event in Picassen. He was transported to La Fe Hospital in Valencia after sustaining a severe head injury when a bull overturned him during the festivities. Witnesses said the bull appeared to react to an obstacle, and the crowd’s efforts to move away may have contributed to the accident. Despite prompt care from a mobile emergency unit and rapid hospital transfer, the patient’s condition worsened in the ensuing hours, leading to death from trauma-related complications, including chest injuries and lung damage sustained during the incident.
A third death occurred on Tuesday, that of Josep Antoni García Arnaun, known locally as Chicken, a 50-year-old Meliana resident long connected with bullfighting culture. He died at Valencia Clinical Hospital from injuries sustained after a fall during the Meliana event when he could not reach the designated viewing area. Local authorities describe García Arnaun as a beloved community figure who had participated in the tradition since childhood, with a strong sense of belonging. Tributes from neighbors and cultural groups have remembered his involvement with the rebel movement and the historic l Escletxa cultural center, which played a regional role in the 1980s and 1990s.
In addition, another fatality emerged from the same weekend in the Valencian Community, a 64-year-old French national who died after nine days in Denia’s hospital following a goring during a childminder celebration. The sequence of events raises questions about how these celebrations are organized and how emergency services can respond rapidly to severe injuries when venues are difficult to access.
Preventive measures
The Autonomous Secretariat for Security and Emergency, the body responsible for overseeing bous al carrer, issued guidance to organizers about the essential requirements that must be fulfilled before any such event. Officials stressed the need to submit authorization requests, medical certificates, and insurance documents within a defined window ahead of the celebration date.
They also highlighted ongoing responsibilities for the event director and the bullfighting experts involved, including ensuring that at least ten trained volunteers are present to inspect the bullfighting facilities and verify they meet safety standards. Attendees under 16 years of age must be kept away from the festivities, and anyone who is visibly intoxicated or otherwise impaired should be prevented from participating. If a participant is deemed unable to handle the situation or is not eligible to remain in the venue, organizers should suspend activity until a responsible administrator approves the continuation of the celebration.
These steps reflect a wider effort to balance cultural tradition with public safety, a discussion that continues to evolve as communities reflect on recent events and explore improvements in event planning, medical readiness, and crowd-control strategies across the region. Authorities emphasize transparency, rapid medical response, and strict adherence to safety protocols as central elements in any future bous al carrer sessions.