An intensive firefighting operation allowed the evacuation of a person trapped in a closed tourist complex in Puerto Rico.
Firefighters from the Gran Canaria Emergency Consortium rescued an immigrant trapped in a fire this Sunday at an abandoned tourist complex on Avenida La Graciosa, in the town of Puerto Rico, Mogán municipality. The fire was detected just after 11:30 a.m., after a column of black smoke was seen rising from inside the building, a former, boarded-up, and disused apartment-hotel.
The operation mobilized two units from the Puerto Rico fire station, with a commander and six personnel, who encountered serious difficulties accessing the completely sealed building, presumably due to its use as a shelter for undocumented individuals. The firefighters used an articulated boom to overcome the physical obstacles and gain safe access inside the building.
During the response, emergency teams rescued one person who was inside the building at the time of the fire. The official report does not specify the victim's condition, although he was successfully evacuated. Inside, firefighters located up to ten domestic butane cylinders, critically increasing the risk of explosion if the flames spread.
The investigation into the origin of the fire is ongoing, and no details have been provided regarding possible structural damage. The incident once again raises concerns about the danger of occupying buildings without minimum safety standards, especially when flammable materials accumulate in enclosed spaces that are difficult for emergency services to access.
