A devastating fire at a retirement home in the northern Spanish town of Villafranca del Ebro claimed the lives of at least ten elderly residents early Friday morning.
The fire broke out at the Jardines de Villafranca residence around 5 a.m., according to Fernando Beltrán, the national government’s top official in the region. “The inferno started in one of the rooms,” Beltrán told reporters.
Authorities reported that firefighters battled the blaze for about two hours before bringing it under control. Two elderly residents are in critical condition, while several others are being treated for smoke inhalation, said Volga Ramirez, the town’s mayor.
“My husband helped evacuate the elderly,” Ramirez added, praising the local efforts to assist the trapped residents during the emergency.
A spokesperson for the regional government confirmed that fire crews from Zaragoza, located 22 miles away, arrived swiftly at the scene, supported by ambulances and police.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
