One dead and three critical after apartment fire in Tenerife
A 60-year-old woman has died during a fire in a three-storey residential building in Los Realejos, in the north of Tenerife in the early of this morning (Saturday), after inhaling a large amount of smoke during the blaze.
The fire broke out at 3:30am this morning in the El Toscal area of the town, prompting a major emergency response and the evacuation of more than 30 residents from the building.
Several in critical condition
According to the Consorcio de Bomberos de Tenerife and the Emergency Services Coordination Centre (CECOES), seven people suffered from smoke inhalation.
Three of them were in critical condition after going into cardiac arrest caused by the smoke. They include a 60-year-old woman taken to the Hospital Universitario de Canarias, a 65-year-old man transferred to the Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, and a woman in her 70s who was also admitted to the same hospital.
Emergency teams were able to successfully resuscitate all three before transporting them for urgent medical care.
Four additional people were treated for moderate injuries, including smoke inhalation and, in one case, a leg injury. They were taken to Hospiten Bellevue for treatment.
Fire spread through building
The fire is believed to have started in a first-floor flat before spreading up the exterior façade and affecting neighbouring homes as well as upper floors, but a full investigation is underway to confirm the cause of the fire.
Firefighters from multiple stations, including units based in La Orotava, La Laguna and Santa Cruz, worked to bring the blaze under control.
The SUC deployed several ambulances and worked alongside primary care teams to assist those affected. Psychological support teams were also called in to help victims and residents.
Authorities have reiterated a key safety message in the event of a fire involving heavy smoke: remain inside if possible, sealing doors, windows and gaps to prevent smoke entering.
