Four people died by drowning and nine more people, including a firefighter, were injured in a fire at a building in Alfonso this morning.
Neighbors say a resident, who had been expelled from one of the apartments, may have started the blaze that day. Local residents stressed that the building was occupied and that warnings about potential problems had been issued earlier. Scientific Police officers quickly cordoned off the entrance and began collecting evidence to determine the fire’s cause, aiming to provide a clear account for the public. (Source: Faro de Vigo)
The greatest tragedy of these features in Vigo
Initial reports from 112 indicated that the four victims were minors, while the Vigo City Council expressed doubt about the ages of one of them. However, residents speaking to Faro de Vigo from the Prensa Ibérica group identified the deceased as a woman in her 30s and her three children, aged 11 to 14. Among the injured, a wife and another daughter, aged six, were hospitalized with burns. The family had lived in an apartment on the fourth floor, where items in the home helped fuel the flames. (Source: Faro de Vigo)
Vigo firefighters worked for hours to extinguish the blaze. The fire began around 04:00 on number 6, the road in question. The flames were knocked down around 07:00 as the units began to withdraw. One firefighter also required treatment for smoke inhalation. (Source: Faro de Vigo)
Local sources reported that the fire accessed a five-story building in the As Travesas neighborhood, near Plaza América, with five dwelling units on each floor. About 30 people were in the building at the time; those not directly affected evacuated, and nine residents were rehoused at the Marqués de Valterra municipal shelter. (Source: Faro de Vigo)
Evacuation
Official accounts noted that some injuries occurred during the evacuation. Instead of complying with the calm instructions from firefighters to leave, some residents ran toward the stairwell, causing a minor collapse in the entrance. (Source: Faro de Vigo)
In addition to 112, responders included Vigo firefighters, 061, local and national police, and specialists from the Official College of Psychologists of Galicia who deal with serious emergencies. The wounded were transferred to the Álvaro Cunqueiro and Povisa hospitals. (Source: Faro de Vigo)
Mayor Abel Caballero and council members Carlos López Font, Patricia Rodríguez Calviño and Yolanda Aguiar visited the scene, with Alfonso Rueda expected to tour the injured later in the day. (Source: Faro de Vigo)
Opinions
A young man living with his mother on the third floor recalled: “If I had not woken them, they would have died. We shouted that we were locked in a room; firefighters helped us. The dead are three of my younger cousins. I don’t know how the fire started, whether there were sparks or whether gasoline was spilled. I think gasoline may have been involved.” (Source: Faro de Vigo)
Víctor and María, who live across from the burning building, described how their son warned them: “Father, the fire.” They opened their curtains and saw the building opposite ablaze. “I saw the flare in the doorway,” Víctor said. The scene was harrowing, with residents screaming and some jumping into the alley as others hung from windows. (Source: Faro de Vigo)
Residents noted that it appeared firefighters arrived after a delay of about half an hour, while City Council representatives stated that it took six minutes from the moment the initial warning was given to their arrival on site. As rescues continued, many unconscious and burned individuals were found among the survivors. The community described the event as a tragedy foretold by the circumstances observed that night. (Source: Faro de Vigo)