Death toll rises to 13 as fire breaks out at nightclub in Spain

Madrid : At least 13 people lost their lives in Spain’s deadliest nightclub fire in decades, with fears the toll could rise further as emergency services search for more victims, CNN reported on Monday.

According to CNN who quoted the Murcia emergency services website, reported that the blazing fire left four injured including two women, two men who were all taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sent his condolences.

“My love and solidarity with the victims and families of the tragic fire that occurred this morning in a nightclub in Murcia. I have just conveyed to the president of the Murcia region all our support and collaboration,” Sanchez posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

At the time of the incident, emergency services were dispatched, with local firefighters calling in helicopter help to tackle the blaze.

“The General Director of Security and Emergencies, Ricardo Villalba, is on-site coordinating with the Murcia City Council the necessary means to manage this tragedy,” the emergency services said.

Following the incident, the emergency personnel are searching for additional victims on-site, if any. The origin of the fire, however, is still unknown.

“Worried and dismayed by the news coming from there (Murcia). The emergency services continue working,” the President of the Murcia region posted on X.

Emergency services were called in at the scene, and local firefighters asked the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies for a helicopter to help put out the fire.

Later, the emergency services declared that ground resources were sufficient to do the job

“The General Director of Security and Emergencies, Ricardo Villalba, is on-site coordinating with the Murcia City Council the necessary means to manage this tragedy,” CNN quoted the emergency services as saying.

In light of the incident, Murcia's mayor José Ballesta announced on X that the city has announced three days of mourning for "those who died in the fire that occurred at the Teatre de Atalayas nightclub."