POLICE have confirmed that 13 people died in a nightclub fire in Murcia City on Sunday morning with 14 guests still unaccounted for.
It was Spain’s deadliest nightclub fire since 1990 when 43 people lost their lives in a Zaragoza venue.
In December 1983. 81 people were killed in a nightclub blaze in Madrid, with smoke, a failure in the lighting system and a closed emergency door all contributing to the disaster.
Policia Nacional spokesperson Diego Seral said it could take ‘several weeks’ for to determine the cause of the Murcia fire that struck at around 6.00am in two adjoining clubs in the Atalayas area of the city.
Four people have been injured after suffering from smoke inhalation and officials have warned that the death toll could keep rising as the search continues for missing partygoers.
Police said that the roof of the building had collapsed, which made it harder for guests to exit and for rescue operations to be conducted.
The main death spot was the first floor of the Disco Fonda Milagro which was a reserved restaurant area and where all the bodies have so far been recovered.
It’s believed that birthday celebrations were being held there.
One woman sent a voice mail to her mother when the fire started, which according to the La Verdad newspaper said: “Mummy, I love you, we’re going to die.”
There’s been no news as to whether she survived.
Family members have been supplying DNA samples to identify the bodies found in the club.
An eye-witness speaking to El Pais described the area as a ‘labyrinth’ with just one winding staircase offering limited access.
Others claimed that emergency exits were not sign-posted.
Murcia’s mayor, Jose Ballesta, could not confirm or deny on Sunday that the Disco Fonda Milagro had all the necessary safety licences in place.
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