The fire in Toledo registered this Monday in a block of apartments in the Avenida de Portugal has left the city in a state of alarm. A 52-year-old resident and two National Police officers have had to be transferred to the University Hospital of Toledo after being injured in a fire that, according to the Emergency Service 112, was declared after nine o’clock in the morning for reasons that are still unknown.
The outbreak, which quickly generated a dense column of smoke and intense flames, forced a large deployment of firefighters, police and medical teams. The situation was particularly delicate due to the presence of numerous residents inside the building.
High intensity fire and a building full of residents
The mayor of Toledo, Carlos Velázquez, went to the area and confirmed that, despite the violence of the flames, “for the moment there are no deaths to report”, stressing that “the flames were very intense”.
The affected block is located on Avenida de Portugal, although at first it was erroneously reported that it was located on the Buenavista ring road. On the arrival of the fire department, many residents remained inside their homes. Faced with the extreme risk of smoke inhalation, a key decision was taken: to confine the residents.
As the mayor explained, “taking into account that the column of smoke rising from the staircase was very important, it was decided by the firefighters to confine the neighbors with protective measures, trying to prevent the smoke from entering their homes”.
Causes of fire: investigation in progress
For the moment, the causes of the incident have not been determined. The mayor called for caution and stressed that the investigation is in the hands of the specialists: “We must leave it to the scientific police, fundamentally, that, together with the collaboration of the firemen, they evaluate”, said Velázquez.
The first warnings to 112 point to an initial explosion, an extreme that has yet to be verified by the technical teams. The rapid spread of the flames has hindered the control work and has caused significant damage inside the building.
Neighbors and emergency services: an exemplary response
During his speech, Velázquez wanted to highlight the role of both the professionals and the citizens who rushed to help: “People who, without a second thought, came in when they saw the flames and heard the explosion,” he said with visible emotion.
Two fire departments, as well as National Police, Local Police and life support ambulances took part in the operation, which remained in the area throughout the morning attending to those affected and securing the building.
Toledo, on tenterhooks waiting for answers
The fire in Toledo has left a strong emotional impact among neighbors in the area, who watched from the street as firefighters worked to prevent the flames from spreading and brought confined residents to safety.
The city is still awaiting the condition of the three injured hospitalized and the results of the investigation, which should clarify the origin of the fire and determine whether there may have been structural or electrical failures or a fortuitous cause.
For now, the priority is to ensure the safety of the building and offer support to the affected neighbors, while Toledo tries to regain calm after a morning marked by anguish and shock.
