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Date Published: 24/04/2023

ARCHIVED - Two dead and 10 injured in horrific Madrid restaurant fire

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The blaze was caused when a waiter tried to flambé a dessert at the popular Madrid eatery

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Two dead and 10 injured in horrific Madrid restaurant fire

Another busy weekend was kicking into high gear in the Spanish capital when tragedy struck one popular Madrid restaurant, resulting in two fatalities and 10 injuries. The Burro Canaglia eatery, located in the central Plaza de Manuel Becerra, burst into flames shortly after 11pm on Friday April 21 while the restaurant was packed with diners.

According to witnesses, the horrific accident occurred as one of the waiters began to flambé a dessert; the flames burst upwards and hit the ceiling, engulfing the artificial plants and scorching the entire roof “very quickly”.

Luckily, most of the customers were able to flee through the front door before the fire took hold, but many others became trapped as panicked patrons clogged up the exits. Scenes of chaos ensued, with workers and customers from nearby bars and restaurants trying to kick in the windows to free the dozens struggling to escape.

Two people lost their lives in the blaze, one of them a staff member at the Italian restaurant. Eight of the twelve injured continue to be hospitalised. Very few of the injuries were minor, and one young woman was admitted to the Getafe Hospital on Friday night suffering from smoke inhalation and burns to 8% of her body. She has since been moved to the Major Burn Unit where her condition is understood to be stable but serious.

Carlos Marín, head of the Madrid City Council Fire Department, confirmed that half of the district’s firefighters rushed to the scene, and police have launched an investigation into the tragedy.

The event has sent shockwaves through the community and municipal representatives have come out in force to show their support for the families of the victims.

"All my love to the family, friends and loved ones of the victims and my thanks to the emergency services," mayor José Luis Martínez Almeida wrote in a tweet.

Just the day before, a packed Renfe medium-distance Madrid-Extremadura train was hurriedly evacuated minutes into the journey after the engine burst into flames, unleashing thick black smoke into the carriages.

Image: Freepik

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