Two Squatters Dead In “Okupas” Badalona Warehouse Blaze

A least two people are dead and 17 injured in a massive warehouse fire in the Badalona municipality situated 10 kms from Barcelona.

The blaze broke out at around nine o´clock last night with Barcelona firefighters fighting the flames that engulfed the disused warehouse through to dawn today 10th December.

The Catalan authorities have confirmed that two people are dead with a further 17 in hospital being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

It is believed that “hundreds” of people may have been squatting in the building though the exact number is still unknown.

Many of the squatters are believed to have been homeless immigrants.

Eduard Martínez, the Barcelona Fire Operations Chief told the El Pais newspaper that it was still too dangerous to enter the building to ascertain the cause of the fire.

The warehouse is situated in the Gorg district industrial zone in the municipality of Badalona. The Mayor Xavier García Albiol called the blaze a tragedy. He added that the local council had been warning of the situation of “Okupas” squatters for some time.