Clamor against Colau for the lack of social care in Barcelona for the family killed in a fire in a 'squatted' premises

• Events A baby, a three-year-old boy and his parents die in the fire of an old squatted bank in Barcelona

An avoidable tragedy. This has been considered by some residents of the occupied premises in which a family died this Tuesday, the father of Pakistani nationality, the Romanian mother and their two children, one and three years old, after a fire broke out. However, the political storm caused by the tragedy, which has once again raised the problem of poverty and difficulties in accessing housing in the city, points out the Barcelona City Council for not fulfilling social tasks when there are minors under via.

The municipal opposition considered that the government team, led by

could do "something else" to prevent this type of event. "These are things that cannot happen in a city like Barcelona, ​​and we must do everything possible so that they cannot be repeated," said the leader of Junts in Barcelona,

, who recalled that the priority is to provide protection and services to those who need it, as a family with minor children. However, the City Council pointed out that the parents' lack of documents to reside in Spain made it difficult for them to access an officially protected home and that is why they lived in occupied premises.

For its part, Ciutadans will request the appearance of the Social Services councilor,

in the Social Rights commission since they believe that this area «has not carried out its work well as there are minors living poorly in unsuitable conditions and they have not been given answer ».

They will also demand explanations from the Deputy Mayor

since the

of the premises, which had been an old bank, "generated complaints from the neighbors and they did not act correctly for their eviction."

Accidental causes

The last complaint took place shortly before the fire when a Mossos d'Esquadra patrol intervened in a fight between several living people, such as the father who later died, and which ended when a group left. The premises had been occupied for about two years although there was a lot of mobility among the tenants. The deceased family had lived for a year. Everything indicates that the fire started due to accidental causes, according to Mossos.

The municipal group of the PP in the Barcelona City Council reproached the mayor, Ada Colau, for "not having done anything of self-criticism" before the death of the family since they consider that the municipal social services "had a large part of responsibility." In this sense, they consider that the City Council has the obligation to protect all citizens and offer social rental housing to all people, especially vulnerable families with minors. Despite this, they expressed their "total rejection of the phenomenon of illegal occupation" and accused the municipal government team of not being "forceful" to avoid it.

Also Barcelona pel Canvi lamented the tragedy "especially the death of the two minors" and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded as well as "the causes" of the fire being clarified as soon as possible.

Municipal assistance

Councilor Laura Pérez explained that the deceased family was in an irregular administrative situation, which prevents them from having a work contract, living for rent or accessing public aid, so they were dedicated to collecting scrap metal.

However, the minors were cared for by the social services that educated the elder and offered them medical visits and food, clothing or diapers.

"Behind this tragedy there is a situation of poverty and social exclusion," said Perez.

Despite this, Ada Colau, went further and assured that it was "a precarious home", in addition to highlighting that there is a problem that has spread in Barcelona with the occupation of the premises of old abandoned banking entities, in which homeless people live without the minimum conditions. Last October, members of the Urban Guard inspected the premises to see if there was a risk of collapse or a punctured electricity outlet and did not find any irregularities.

The

opened an investigation into the actions carried out by the municipal social services to attend to the needs of the victims of this fire, which also left four wounded men who alerted the neighbors from the inner courtyard where they took refuge, since they were aware of the occupation and the presence of children in the family. The

for its part, has promised to address the housing emergency after this "tragedy" that reflects "what too many families are experiencing."

The neighbors would like to highlight the tragedy experienced. The firefighters received the warning around 6 in the morning when the four wounded men who lived in the premises were able to protect themselves from the flames in an interior patio and alert the people in the building. "My wife smelled burning, we got up, we saw that there was nothing inside the house, but as soon as we opened the part where we have the washing machines, there was a very large smoke and downstairs it was a busy place and there were the you occupy screaming, asking for help, because you can see that they were locked up. It has been quite traumatic, "explained a neighbor.

Another regretted the death of the two minors while another resident said that screaming and fighting were common in the premises and ugly at the administration for not "catching these creatures and taking them to protection, because look at how they ended up."

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