Valencia fire: At least 4 killed as blaze engulfs apartment block in Spain

Emergency services in Valencia say that a devastating fire has killed at least four individuals in a towering residential complex. The inferno consumed a 14-story building in the Campanar neighbourhood and extended its reach to an adjacent structure.

Among the casualties, at least 14 individuals, including six firefighters and a child, sustained injuries, while 19 individuals remain unaccounted for.

Strong gusts exacerbated the blaze, raising concerns that combustible cladding facilitated the rapid spread of flames. Over 20 fire brigades mobilised to combat the inferno, leaving the affected block charred and uninhabitable by early Friday.

The building contains 138 flats and was home to 450 residents, newspaper El Pais reported, citing the building’s manager.

In the hours after the fire rapidly took hold, questions have been asked in Spain about the materials used in the building’s construction.