Three people die in a fire in a block of flats in Rubí

A small fire involving some furniture located at the entrance to number 13 Saragossa de Rubí street has turned this building into a mousetrap that has killed three people, two women and one man.

The fire generated a large column of black smoke that gradually filled the corridors, lobby and stairs, turning the supposed exit into a death trap.

The three victims had left their homes to get out of the building, but the smoke trapped them.

"The bad luck is that the fire was in the access to the building and this has prevented people from leaving and has spread the smoke everywhere," explained Pep Colàs, chief of intervention of the Generalitat Fire Brigade.

The fire started at 6:56 a.m. this Wednesday, for reasons that are still being investigated, in a block of three-story buildings, with 31 homes.

Most of the neighbors confined themselves at home, where the smoke did not reach, and were rescued by firefighters.

A family took refuge on the upper terrace of the building, while three people were able to get out of the window.

Germán Ligüeño, who lives in the house across the street, ran out to help his neighbors, especially some on the first floor where the windows are closest to the street and are protected by bars.

“When I arrived there was a neighbor with a hammer.

Since we couldn't cut the bars in the end, he hit the wall, ripping out the bricks, and thus he opened the gate and we were able to get our neighbor out”, says Germán.

"The fire was not that strong, the problem was that it was on the landing and there was a lot of smoke, so it was a mousetrap," he adds.

This neighbor also explains that he saw how two young girls jumped from another window on the first floor and how a couple and a small child called for help from the roof.

"In the end the police came and they were super effective," adds Germán, with a bittersweet tone.

“I feel like shit.

When someone dies, you feel bad because you think they could have done something more to help them, ”he laments sadly.

To Rubí, #Bomberscat they rebutted a fire warning at c/ Saragossa (06:56) with 9 crews.

The fire has caused 3 fatalities.

Ara revisem l'edifici i @semgencat aten people amb affectacions lleus per fum

— Bombers (@bomberscat) March 22, 2023

Several members of the Rubí, Terrassa, Sabadell and Cerdanyola firefighters were transferred to the fire, as well as members of the Medical Emergency System, the municipal police and Mossos.

The medical services assisted 23 residents due to smoke inhalation, who were treated and released in the same place.

The evacuees moved to the Can Rosés petanque court, located on the same street, a few meters away.

There they were treated with blankets and food.

As the hours passed, relatives of the deceased people also approached.

According to firefighters, the building has not suffered structural damage, but residents will not be able to return for a few days until electricity, water and gas supplies are restored.

The causes of the fire are still being investigated, but the firefighters have reported that the fire was not large and that they were able to extinguish it "in four minutes", according to Colàs.

In the fire they have burned some furniture accumulated in the lobby of the building, but the Mossos are investigating what the trigger was, since the neighbors commented that they had heard an explosion.

One of the hypotheses points to a nearby electrical box and that there would be other accumulated materials that could have helped the combustion.

The Minister of the Interior of the Generalitat, Joan Ignasi Elena, has traveled to the place and has approached the area where the affected residents have been transferred.

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