The Santa Lucia hospital in Cartagena experienced a situation of maximum tension on Wednesday after a fire broke out at around 7:30 in the morning, forcing the evacuation of several areas of the health center. The fire, which originated on the terrace of block 5, surprised patients, attendants and staff at a particularly sensitive time: the change of shift.
According to 112 sources, the first calls to alert the fire were registered at 7:25 a.m., and more than thirty calls were received in a matter of minutes. The rapid action of the emergency teams brought the fire under control after eight o’clock in the morning.
“A crew of 20 firefighters has been mobilized.”
The mayor of Cartagena, Noelia Arroyo, offered the first official information about what happened, detailing that “a team of 20 firefighters has been mobilized to extinguish the fire. As she explained, the flames started on the terrace of block 5 and “spread rapidly through the third and fifth floors of that area”.
The wind became an ally of the fire. The mayor herself pointed out that, as a result of intense gusts, the flames also spread to blocks four and six, affecting several areas through the facade.
Immediate evacuation: the emergency plan worked
Arroyo confirmed that the hospital’s emergency plan was activated immediately, which allowed for the rapid evacuation of patients admitted to the rooms near the fire.
The priority, in those first minutes, was to get bedridden people away from the smoke and to ensure that the affected floors were cleared before the firefighters could proceed with their overhaul.
Fire at the Santa Lucía Hospital in Cartagena.
We hope that there are no personal injuries and that everything is under control as soon as possible.
Our utmost encouragement and thanks to the firefighters, police and emergency services who once again demonstrate their dedication and professionalism. https://t.co/dVV8u2lbld pic.twitter.com/WzDMZmDSvl
– VOX Murcia (@Vox_Murcia) November 26, 2025
The mayor further detailed that “both the rooms and the toilets on the floors affected by the intense smoke are being checked by the firefighters”, a task that was maintained during the morning to ensure that no hot spots remained .
Fire under control in 20 minutes
Thanks to the rapid intervention, firefighters brought the fire under control just 20 minutes after it started. However, the intense smoke accumulated on several floors forced a thorough check of the interior of the block to rule out hidden damage.
Municipal sources confirmed that all members of the Fire and Rescue Service of the City of Cartagena were deployed, given the magnitude of the incident.
Traffic recommendations: avoid the area
At the same time, the local police issued recommendations to drivers to avoid driving in the vicinity of the hospital. The main access road was saturated early in the morning, both by emergency vehicles and by the daily movements of health personnel.
🔴🔴🔥 More images of the fire at the HOSPITAL SANTA LUCÍA DE CARTAGENA
The fire broke out in block 5 pic.twitter.com/oEvdjpBLkn
– Onda Regional (@ORMurcia) November 26, 2025
The authorities insisted that clearing the traffic was essential to allow fire crews to operate quickly and unhindered.
Material damage and awaiting evaluation
Although the fire was quickly contained, the smoke has affected several floors of block 5 and has also reached areas of the adjoining blocks. It will be necessary for the hospital’s technical teams to assess the state of the facilities in the coming hours and determine which areas can return to normal activity.
So far, no serious injuries among patients or staff have been reported. The coordinated and rapid evacuation prevented more serious scenarios.
