Funeral of the victims of Velez-Malaga blaze

THE three members of the same family who died in a house fire in Velez-Malaga were buried in Torre del Mar.

The victims were a 58-year-old man who was disabled due to a stroke, his wife, 48, and their autistic son, 23. Their other son, aged 22, was not in the home at the time as he works as a night watchman in Torre del Mar. 

His wife, 21, and their two-year-old son were injured in the fire, although they were both released from hospital after they were treated for smoke inhalation. Firemen were also able to save the family dog. The couple’s other son, aged 18, lives with his grandmother.

The fire broke out in the living room of the top floor of an apartment block on Las Malvinas Urbanization. The bodies were found in two of the bedrooms and the passageway. The survivors were in a room which was closed and was untouched by the fire, and which had a direct exit onto the balcony.

The fire, which apparently started due to faulty electric equipment, spread very quickly because there were lots of clothes and furniture in the room where it started, official sources said. Sixteen other families had to be evacuated from their homes but were able to return the following morning.

One of the firemen was injured in the rescue and another had to be treated for smoke inhalation. The three victims were buried at the cemetery in Torre del Mar this week.

By Jennifer Leighfield