Five young people aged 14 to 17 died in a fire that broke out on Monday evening in the Spanish city of Manlleu. The fire appeared in a small tenant storage room on the roof of a five-story residential building. The victims, who used the place as a social gathering spot, died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Rescue services are investigating the causes of the incident, pointing to an unfortunate accident.

Victims are teenagers

In the fire, five boys aged 14 to 17 died, who were spending their free time in the tenant storage room.

Lack of escape possibility

The victims lost consciousness due to carbon monoxide emitted by the smoldering mattress and did not manage to escape the trap.

Accidental cause

The Catalan police Mossos d'Esquadra ruled out the involvement of third parties, considering the event a tragic accident caused by a cigarette.

Solidarity with the families

A three-day mourning was declared in Manlleu, and the president of Catalonia Salvador Illa participated in the solemn minute of silence.

Residents of the Catalan city of Manlleu were shocked by the news of the tragic death of five teenagers who died in a fire in the attic of one of the apartment blocks on Montseny street. The victims are boys aged 14 to 17: Mohamed Z., Adam B., Amine A., Mohamed M., and Mustapha B. The incident occurred on Monday around 9:00 PM in a small room with an area of only eight square meters. As determined by investigators from the Mossos d’Esquadra, the premises served as an informal meeting place for young people, and the door to the stairwell was usually open to outsiders. Preliminary autopsy results and examination of the scene indicate that the cause of the tragedy was an accidental ignition of fire. The fire was most likely started by a cigarette butt, which caused a mattress to smolder. The specifics of the room – lack of ventilation, small area, and accumulation of flammable items – meant that the young people quickly lost consciousness due to carbon monoxide poisoning before they could attempt to escape. Notably, two girls aged 16 and 17 were with the group earlier that same evening but left the building before the deadly danger erupted. Spanish fire safety standards in old multi-family buildings often do not account for the transformation of common areas, such as roofs or storage rooms, into permanent living spaces, which has led to similar incidents in the Barcelona region in the past. „This is a tragedy that cannot be described in words. The entire city joins in grief with the families of the victims, who lost their children in such a cruel way.” — Arnau Rovira Local authorities declared a national mourning, and on Tuesday, a minute of silence was held in front of the town hall, attended by, among others, the president of the Generalitat de Catalunya Salvador Illa and Mayor Arnau Rovira. The event is described as one of the most tragic residential fires in Catalonia in the last 25 years. The community of the L'Erm neighborhood, largely inhabited by families of immigrant background, is calling for better safety oversight in older housing stock. 8 m² — area of the room where the tragedy occurred Number of fire victims in Manlleu by age: 14 years: 1, 15 years: 2, 16 years: 1, 17 years: 1 Timeline of tragic events in Manlleu: February 16, 18:00 — Teenagers' gathering; February 16, 21:00 — Fire outbreak; February 17, morning — Confirmation of victims; February 17, 19:00 — Minute of silence

Mentioned People

  • Salvador Illa — President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, present at the mourning ceremonies in Manlleu.
  • Arnau Rovira — Mayor of Manlleu, informed about the mourning and assistance for the victims' families.
  • Ramon Espadaler — Minister of Justice of Catalonia, participated in the ceremonies commemorating the victims.