Expelled thief ignites fire with cigarette butt at Madrid's La Vaguada mall, forcing evacuation and arrest

The incident

On Saturday afternoon, a fire broke out in the loading bay of La Vaguada shopping centre in Madrid's Fuencarral-El Pardo district. The blaze started around 17:20 in containers holding cardboard, plastic and packaging materials. According to police, the fire was not accidental: a 52-year-old man, who had been caught stealing and expelled by security, lit a cigarette outside and threw the butt into a container with flammable waste. The resulting flames produced a dense column of black smoke visible across the Barrio del Pilar.

Evacuation and emergency response

The shopping centre's three floors were evacuated as smoke filled the building. Security staff, National Police and Municipal Police coordinated the operation, while traffic around Avenida de Monforte de Lemos was cut off for several hours. Nine fire crews (some reports say ten) from the Madrid fire brigade arrived and extinguished the fire quickly, though the thick smoke took longer to clear. One security guard was treated by Samur-Protección Civil for mild smoke inhalation; no other injuries were reported.

Investigation and arrest

Police immediately suspected the fire had been set deliberately. Officers from the Fuencarral-El Pardo station began reviewing security footage and witness accounts. At around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, a patrol from the Citizen Attention Group (GAC) spotted a man hiding between parked cars near the shopping centre, behaving evasively. When they identified him, they recognised him as the person seen on video discarding the cigarette butt. He was arrested on suspicion of arson and is expected to appear before a judge.

The suspect

The arrested man is a Spanish national, aged 52, with a prior record of property crimes including theft. He had been expelled from La Vaguada earlier that afternoon after being caught stealing. Police believe he acted out of resentment, though it remains unclear whether the fire was started intentionally or through reckless disregard. The investigation is ongoing.

The shopping centre

La Vaguada, opened in the 1980s, was the first large shopping centre in the Madrid region. It spans 85,000 square metres, houses around 200 shops and receives more than 25 million visitors annually. On Saturday, many people were inside seeking relief from a heatwave, making the evacuation particularly urgent.