Two Spanish firefighters died in a parking garage fire - Explosion and smoke inhalation reported to be cause of death
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Two firefighters tragically lost their lives and 14 others were injured in a fire an underground parking garage, thought to have been started by an electric vehicle, Spanish media reported this week.
El Pais wrote on April 2 that two firefighters died, and seven others had been injured—one critically—in a fire that broke out in an underground garage in Alcorcón. According to initial investigations, the blaze was caused by the explosion of an electric car following an accident.
Emergency teams worked under extreme conditions due to dense smoke, while residents were instructed to stay confined in their homes. The president of the Community of Madrid and local institutions have expressed their condolences.
La Vangardia's initial news report said the cause of the fire appears to have been the explosion of an electric car, referencing sources close to the investigation to EFE.
Some media reports have mentioned up to 15 injured firefighters in the incident.
Evrimagaci.org reported on April 3 that unnamed eye witnesses had said the fire started when the driver of an electric vehicle experienced a malfunction during parking. The EV then crashed, leading to a rapid fire development with thick smoke and an explosion.
The news site SurinEnglish initially referencing information from Emergencias Madrid, said the fire started around 4 p.m. in a garagein the Las Retamas neighbourhood.
It is believed that the first firefighter was killed in an explosion caused by the fire, which had spread to multiple parked vehicles.
The second firefighter reportedly fell victim to smoke inhalation and died during transfer to the Getafe University Hospital. Both firefighters are said to have belonged to the Alcorcón fire brigade.
On April 4th, the same site said investigators had officially confirmed the hypothesis that the fire was caused by an accidental collision of an electric Porsche Taycan with a parked car. The accident reportedly caused the battery of the vehicle to catch fire.
When the first firefighters arrived at the building, the garage was said to already be on fire, visibility very low, and ventilation not sufficient for a fire that size.
Four firefighters reportedly entered, but when part of the roof and one of the security gates collapsed, the oxygen supply may have been cut off. Three firefighters initially were to said to have managed to get out, but when one returned to try to save his colleague, both died during the rescue attempt.