Thirteen people killed and dozens injured in nightclub fire in Spain

Thirteen people were killed and dozens of others injured when a fire broke out in a nightclub in the southeastern city of Murcia yesterday (Sunday October 1), the authorities have said.

The fire started at around 6am in the popular Teatre nightclub and quickly tore through the venue, according to Spain’s state news agency EFE. 

It was not immediately clear what had caused the fire. 

A video shared by Murcia’s fire service showed firefighters trying to control flames inside the nightclub.

Police and emergency services worked to secure the interior of the club to avoid a possible collapse and were trying to locate and identify the bodies.

Five people who were missing and feared dead have been located, a Spanish official has confirmed. 

The death toll stands at 13, with 24 people injured.

Francisco Jimenez, the national government representative in the south-eastern region of Murcia, told Spanish television that no further bodies had been found and there was no longer anyone missing. 

The city council declared three days of mourning with flags flown at half-mast on public buildings throughout the region of Murcia.