Huge Fire In Calpe Caused By Firework

A fireworks rocket caused a fire at the Roman archaeological site of Los Baños de la Reina in Calpe in the early hours of yesterday morning.

During the early hours of Sunday, August, 6, the Roman archaeological site of Los Baños de la Reina in Calpe was set ablaze. The fire began during the fireworks display of ‘El Castell a la mar,’ part of the town’s festivities for the feast of the Virgen de las Nieves. One of the rockets, deflected by the wind, fell on a section of the archaeological site, according to Nuis Diario.

The flames quickly spread, reaching an area near beachfront properties. Fire stations from Denia, Benissa, and Benidorm responded, assisted by two units of forest firefighters. Thankfully the fire was eventually brought under control.

The City Council of the municipality thanked the emergency services for their rapid action in the fire. ‘Thanks to their work there has been no personal injury,’ they announced on social media, also noting that firefighters continue to work to prevent any possible rekindling.

In the coming hours, the City Council plan to assess possible material and property damage. The event started with a Holy Mass at 8:00 pm hours, followed by a procession, culminating in the Castell a la Mar, an aero-aquatic fireworks display, which apparently caused the fire.

The fire affected the vegetation of Els Banys de la Reina, and technicians must now evaluate if any of the site’s archaeological treasures, including mosaics, remains of a Roman villa, baths, and a fish farm, have been damaged. The dwelling and its thermal building, dating back to the late second or early third century, were abandoned in the early fifth century.

The affected archaeological site includes three dwellings, highlighting the area’s economic orientation towards wine making, fishing, production of garum (fish sauce), salting, and stone quarrying. The fire’s impact on these structures will require detailed examination