A tragedy unfolded Friday afternoon in one of the parks in Alcalá de Henares: a fierce fire broke out, leaving one woman dead and a man in critical condition with burns covering most of his body. The incident occurred near Gaceta Street, close to the National Police building.
The flames engulfed a makeshift shelter where two homeless individuals were living. Police officers, noticing thick smoke, rushed to the scene with fire extinguishers in an attempt to contain the blaze. They managed to rescue the man by putting out the flames on his clothes, but it was impossible to reach the woman inside due to intense heat and heavy smoke.
Firefighters quickly arrived at the scene and completely extinguished the blaze. Emergency medical teams airlifted the injured man to La Paz hospital, where he remains in critical condition with burns covering 90% of his body. The woman, who was inside the shelter, died before rescuers could reach her.
Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been caused by a gas leak from a cylinder used for cooking or heating. Investigators are still working to determine the circumstances, but it is already clear that the fire started inside the temporary structure where the victims were living.
The tragedy in Alcalá de Henares once again raises concerns about the safety and living conditions of people experiencing homelessness. Temporary shelters like these often use gas cylinders and other hazardous devices, increasing the risk of fires and other emergencies.
