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Date Published: 30/11/2022

One injured and dog dies in spectacular blaze at 19-storey block of flats in Benidorm

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At least 60 homes were evacuated after a fire broke out on the 9th floor of the high-rise in the Costa Blanca resort

One injured and dog dies in spectacular blaze at 19-storey block of flats in Benidorm

A 39-year-old man was seriously injured and his dog killed in a huge blaze at a 19-storey block of flats in Benidorm on Tuesday November 29.

The fire broke out at the Coblanca Building in Calle Astrurias at around 5.40pm forcing the evacuation of 17 floors, affecting around 60 homes, before the flames were eventually extinguished at 8.05pm.

Firefighters equipped with three pumps and a ladder unit, the local and national police, and emergency health units were immobilised, and according to the Alicante Firefighters Consortium, on arrival, the flames were spewing from the outside of the apartment on the ninth floor "which was completely burned out".

A chilling huge black column of smoke could be clearly seen from quite some distance.

Falling embers fell to lower floors and flames spread through the facade of the building and damaged neighbouring awnings.

Importante intervención esta tarde por incendio de vivienda situada en 9ª planta, Benidorm.Destacamos la gran coordinación con @plbnd y @Policianacional Lamentablemente el piso quedo calcinado y su inquilino fue atendido por quemaduras, le deseamos pronta recuperación#cpba pic.twitter.com/QMULeQ5Vbh
— Consorcio Provincial Bomberos Alicante (@BomberosDipuALC) November 29, 2022

As shocked evacuated residents could only look on in horror as flames engulfed the apartment and threatened neighbouring properties, one 39-year-old tenant was rushed to Marina Baixa hosital in Villajoyosa with third degree burns to 20% of his body. He was then transferred to the burn unit at La Fe Hospital in Valencia, and there has been no further update on his condition.

Sadly, his pet dog was discovered dead inside the burned-out home having "died as a result of the fire", according to fire sources.

Benidorm's Councilor for Security, Lorenzo Martínez, praised "the rapid intervention" of firefighters, who he said "prevented greater tragedy from occurring."

Initial inquiries suggest a faulty stove may have sparked the fire, although a full investigation will be carried out by the fire department to determine the cause.

In a separate fire on Tuesday, a 67-year-old man and a woman, whose age has not been released, were treated for smoke inhalation following a blaze at an 18th floor flat in a 26-storey building in Albufereta in Alicante province.

Emergency services were alerted to the inferno in Calle Sol Naciente at around 8pm and all residents on the upper floors were evacuated while fire crews battled the flames. The fire originated in the kitchen and spread to two rooms, "causing serious material damage to the home", according to the fire department.

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Image: Facebook Kodi McQueen/Luis Calabor/Consorcio Provincial Bomberos Alicante

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