A fire swept through a mental health care facility in northern Spain early Friday, killing at least 10 elderly residents and critically injuring two others, authorities said.
The blaze began around 5 a.m. (0400 GMT) in one of the rooms at the Jardines de Villafranca residence, a care home specializing in mental health services, according to Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in Aragon region. Firefighters battled the flames for approximately two hours before extinguishing them.
“The doors were closed, they prevented the fire from spreading. The tragedy could have been worse,” said Aragon regional president Jorge Azcon after inspecting the damaged building. All victims were elderly residents of the facility.
Firefighter chief Eduardo Sanchez reported that while the fire remained contained to a single room, the fatalities resulted from smoke inhalation. One survivor remains in critical condition and another in serious condition, Azcon confirmed.
Local mayor Volga Ramirez said several other residents received treatment primarily for smoke inhalation. Officials are now prioritizing the transfer of uninjured residents to another care facility in nearby Huesca while authorities investigate the fire’s cause.
The incident represents one of Spain’s deadliest care home fires in recent years. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the blaze.
