The helplessness of heroes "overwhelmed" by the uncontrollable fire: "It was very difficult to isolate it, they have lost everything"

Hector Atienza Valencia

Valencia

Updated Saturday, February 24, 2024-01:37

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The polyurethane coating of the façade of the Valencia building and the strong gusts of wind, more than 60 km/h last Thursday, became a

fire bomb at number 77 General Avilés Street in a few minutes.

.

It all started on the fifth floor,

possibly in the motor of an electric awning

, but the flames scaled the façade of the building at full speed without stopping.

At the same time

rubble and cinders fell spectacularly onto the road.

The first help call to 112 reported a fire on one of its balconies, but what the first firefighters to reach the foot of the building did not know

was the real size and complexity of the fire present there.

Twenty fire crews and six fire engines from the

Military Emergency Unit (UME)

went to the affected area to

deal with a type of fire classified 24 hours later as "exceptional" due to its severity.

«The fire spread from balcony to balcony very quickly, when

we arrived there was little that could be done to contain it except for the rescue of the people that the Firefighters were carrying out.

The entire building became a chimney helped by the interior plaster of the exterior coating that the façade had," a member of the UME tells the editorial staff of the newspaper EL MUNDO.

The Windsor case or the Grenfell Tower in London

In Spain, the most recent case of a fire of this size was that of the Windsor Tower in Madrid in 2005. However, the Valencia fire, due to the composition of the structure of its outer cover, has more similarities with the

fire that burned in a few hours in 2017 the Grenfell Tower in London.

"The objective was to save the people who were still inside, we knew that the fire in the building was very difficult to isolate," highlights this member of the UME Military Unit.

"

They have lost everything from their homes, even their pets," he adds.

In fact, the Emergency operation set up a field hospital in the area, where the first injured were treated while

several emergency mattresses served as lifesavers so that the residents of the lower floors could jump out onto the street.

The hardness of fire

The firefighters were "overwhelmed" by a fire whose development was "very rapid" and "was not normal."

This was stated by the fire corporal and delegate of the Professional Union of Firefighters and Police in Valencia

Faustino Yanguas

, in the press conference held with the media after putting out the fire in the building.

"He grabbed his colleagues on the stairs and they tried to access the upper floors, which is where they were asking for help, but it was impossible due to the temperature on the stairs and the wind," he added.

In fact,

seven firefighters had to be treated, two of whom were still admitted to a hospital in Valencia this Friday.

"

They were overwhelmed because they did not expect this aggressive reaction from the fire," he confirmed.

Yanguas confirmed that they had "ever" faced a fire with wind but not with the characteristics of the development that this building in Valencia had.

"It's not normal," he said.

«There was a rescue with the ladder and another that was not seen and it was possible to reach the eighth or ninth floor

.

My companions climbed with an attack ladder and from balcony to balcony, putting on harnesses and going down.

We made rescues, but the upper part could not be accessed due to the temperature.

In fact, the last ones had to leave by breaking a door and climbing down and one had to throw himself onto the mattress," said the technician.

The commercial basement of the building is saved

The power of the fire throughout the 158-home building was devastating in just under two hours.

A priori nothing can be recovered from the homes except the

commercial area of ​​the lower blocks.

The configuration of the widened terrace on these ground floors protected

the interior of a large bazaar store and an electric car dealership

that had been inaugurated last July.

As confirmed by the managers of both businesses, from the outside the firefighters have been able to verify that the damage may be minimal at the moment.

«The important thing is that all employees were able to leave the building without any problem.

We will assess the economic damages later,” highlights one of the managers consulted by this newspaper.

Now, like the rest of the neighbors affected by the fire, they are waiting to confirm the final situation.

Message from Metsola to the Valencia Firefighters

On the other hand, the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, this Friday conveyed her solidarity with the

victims and families of those affected by the fire in Valencia,

and also wanted to recognize the work carried out by all the firefighting teams.

"My thoughts and solidarity are with all those who lost their lives and

their homes in the terrible fire in Valencia

, and also with their families. My recognition to the firefighters for their bravery and continuous efforts. Europe is with Spain," wrote Metsola on social network X.