Woman rescued after being trapped behind replacement door

Police, firefighters and local officers rescued a woman from a flat in Gandia after a replacement front door left her unable to get out, according to the National Police.

The incident happened on Thursday afternoon, after workers had changed the main entrance door that same morning and fitted what sources described as an anti-squatting model. The woman was inside the property and could not open it from within.

Officers were alerted that the occupant, who sources said has mental health problems, was trapped in the home. When police and firefighters arrived, they found her in a room inside the property and she was said to be very agitated.

Rescuers gained access through a balcony window and managed to free her. She was then treated by medical staff before being taken to hospital.

Police said the property had recently changed ownership. The National Police contacted the representative of the company that installed the door, and identified him, along with the two people who had hired the service.

The Judicial Police unit at Gandia National Police station is now investigating the episode to establish exactly what happened.

What police are examining

Officers are trying to determine the full chain of events around the door replacement, the decision to fit the new security system and the circumstances that left the woman unable to leave the flat.

The case comes amid a broader debate in Spain over private anti-squatting firms and the measures some property owners use to secure empty or disputed homes. In this case, however, the focus of the inquiry is the rescue and the circumstances that led to it.

So far, police have not said whether any offences are being considered. The investigation remains open.