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Almuñécar hotel explosion leaves one person injured
One person has been injured and 40 guests had to be evacuated after and explosion at the Hotel Olas in Almuñécar on Granada province’s Costa Tropical on Monday 30 March.
An incident occurred when a gas canister on one of the boilers in the hotel was being replaced. According to Andalusian emergency service 112, the explosion caused an intense smoke column that was visible from various parts of town.
Almuñécar’s fire brigade, the Local Police, who immediately cordoned off the area, the Guardia Civil, Civil Protection and an ambulance were on the scene. Staff and guests watched as the suitcases from inside were removed.
IDEAL learned that the injured driver was the propane truck driver, who had been rushed to Santa Ana Hospital in Motril. During the intervention, two firefighters were also treated for smoke-inhalation.
Relocation
According to Local Police, one of the walls on the fifth-floor of the building has been virtually destroyed. The debris has spread to nearby areas such as the Callejón del Silencio, which has forced access to this street and Avenida de Europa to be cut off.
The mayor of Almuñécar, Juan José Ruiz Joya, said that, despite the seriousness of the incident, “it was almost a miracle” that there were no fatalities or injuries among the guests. At the time of explosion, the hotel was 60 percent full with over 40 guests. The most severely affected area wasn’t occupied, which prevented the worst of the tragedy.
The task of relocating guests to other hotels is underway. This is a difficult task due to the high occupancy rates during Easter.
Investigations into the cause of the accident have been carried out by the Guardia Civil’s TEDAX NRBQ (Technicians specialising in the disposal of explosive and nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical artefacts).
