A fire declared in the Racó Blau area of Blanes, next to the Mas Marull neighborhood and the Malgrat Road, forced the deployment of a large emergency operation yesterday afternoon. The fire started around 15:30 hours in the garden of an old chalet linked to the family of the director of the old SAFA factory and quickly spread to the ground floor and first floor building.
Deployment of emergencies and evacuation
The column of smoke was visible from different points of Blanes. The Local Police activated the emergency protocol and evacuated the occupants of the building, who at that moment were asleep inside. No injuries were reported and the SEM deployed an ambulance as a preventive measure.
The first units of Bombers de la Generalitat arrived quickly and used tanker trucks supplied by a nearby hydrant. During the afternoon, the firefighting teams managed to keep the fire under control and prevented it from spreading to nearby forest areas. Mossos d'Esquadra and Agents Rurals also attended, although their intervention was not necessary.
Affectation to the fauna and security measures
The fire had a serious impact on a colony of cats that lived in the area. Several animals died, including some that were undergoing treatment for different conditions. The Local Police cut off traffic on the Malgrat Road as a preventive measure while the Bombers worked on the extinction.
The operation extended until 20:30 hours, at which point the situation was completely controlled. The mayor of Blanes, Jordi Hernández, went to the scene shortly after the start of the fire and remained there until the fire was extinguished. During the incident, the mayor received direct information from the head of Firefighters of the Generalitat and from the sub-inspector of the Local Police. The head of the ABP of the Mossos d'Esquadra, Daniel López, was also present in the area.
Technical inspection and sealing of the building
At the request of Bombers de la Generalitat, the municipal architect, Mercè Gil, inspected the structure of the affected building. The initial assessment indicates that a more detailed review will be necessary when access can be gained safely. The mayor ordered the exterior sealing of the area and a security perimeter was established with fences and police tape. The Local Police will carry out periodic checks to prevent unauthorized access.
In a subsequent meeting, the occupants of the chalet were informed of the prohibition to access the building until the technical inspections conclude. Temporary accommodation was offered to them in a local hostel, especially to a person who was recovering from a recent hospitalization.
"The emergency operation was successfully concluded and the authorities will continue to ensure the safety of the area while the necessary assessments and inspections are carried out" - Statement from the Blanes City Council