A third resident of the Juan XXIII residence in Aravaca who had been admitted to La Paz Hospital after the fire at the facility died this Monday due to the severity of the burn injuries she suffered, bringing the death toll to three, health officials confirmed to Europa Press.
The fire broke out yesterday at 6:50 a.m. in one of the rooms on the second floor of the center, though the exact cause remains unknown. Two women died at the scene, and another was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where she passed away this evening.
The Health Counselor, Fatima Matute, confirmed the death and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
Matute noted that the victim could not be saved because of the gravity of the burns and the vulnerable condition due to age. “Sadly, frailty, age, and more than 70% of the body covered in burns made it impossible to save her life,” she stated.
Residents have been relocated to other eldercare facilities. Yesterday, nineteen residents moved to Reina Sofía Residence in Las Rozas, while seven were transferred to Nuestra Señora del Carmen.
Five residents have been with their families since yesterday, and four remain hospitalized for inhalation of smoke, according to the same sources.
Emergency responders and police units arrived at the scene, with several fire crews from the Madrid City Council assisting in the rescue of residents with the help of Municipal Police of Madrid and National Police.
Rescues through windows were reported as the first step in evacuating residents from the center. The firefighting operation began with the careful evacuation of the elderly, a task made harder by limited mobility among residents, with staff members helping to carry people to safety.
Witnesses indicated that firefighters gained access to the room where the flames started through a window, rescuing two women with serious burns. Moments later, they reportedly helped three more people who were confined in the same room.
The medical teams from Samur-Protección Civil confirmed the deaths of two women and the transfer of another patient in critical condition to La Paz Hospital. In total, sixteen people were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, including four police officers.