Spain: 10 dead after fire at Zaragoza nursing home

The cause of the fire at the nursing home for people with dementia and other mental health problems is unknown. Local authorities say the victims likely died of smoke inhalation.

Ten people have died and two others are critically injured after a blaze at a nursing home near the northeastern Spanish city of Zaragoza on Friday morning.

The fire broke out at around 5 a.m. and remained concentrated in one room, but smoke spread throughout the establishment in the small town of Villafranca de Ebro, about 28 kilometers (18 miles) from Zaragoza.

According to local mayor Volga Ramirez Gamiz, it was likely the smoke which caused the fatalities rather than the flames themselves, which were extinguished by firefighters.

"Fortunately, that room has a security door," which prevented the fire from spreading, she said. "But there was a lot of smoke, outside too, you couldn't even breathe."

What do we know about the nursing home?

Initially opened in 2008 as a care home for the elderly, the Jardines de Villafranca residence had recently begun to take in people of all ages suffering with dementia and other mental health problems.

"There are people from all walks of life, with many problems. Very young people, because there are people as young as 25 years old. In other words, we are not just talking about older people," said Gamiz.

She added that many of the residents had "mobility problems" which made it difficult to evacuate them quickly.

According to local authorities, 82 residents and two staff members were in the building at the outbreak of the fire, the cause of which is unknown.

What have Spanish politicians said?

"We must stand with the victims of this regrettable event which has left 10 people dead and two in a critical condition," said Angel Victor Torres, the government minister in charge of cooperation with Spain's regions, speaking to public broadcaster TVE.

"Hopefully these two people will recover," he added.

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was "shocked by the tragedy," adding his hope that "the people who are in a serious condition recover as soon as possible."

Madrid's representative in the Aragon region, Fernando Beltran, told reporters that an investigation would be opened.

"The cause of death of each of these 10 people I cannot say yet, because it is under investigation," he said.

"But in a phenomenon of this nature, the highest number of deaths is usually due to smoke inhalation."

The fire, the third such deadly incident at a Spanish nursing home since 2022, took place just two weeks after devastating flash floods killed over 200 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the Valencia region, 300 kilometers (186 miles) to the south.

mf/lo (AFP, dpa)