Death Toll In Murcia Nightclub Rises To 13 Mayor Announces

13 people are now reported dead and eight are thought to be missing after a fire broke out at a nightclub in Murcia around 6am this morning.

The Teatre nightclub, in the Atalayas area of the city, is the scene of a struggle by firefighters to put out a massive blaze that ripped through the venue early this morning. Film and photos of the devastation have been posted to Social Media by those at the scene showing an inferno quickly taking hold of the building. There were reported to be three nightclubs at the venue; the Teatre, Golden and Fonda.

At least six people have die in a fire at a nightclub in the south-eastern city of #Murcia, Spanish authorities say.#Spain pic.twitter.com/FtfF8HhDvZ

— Smriti Sharma (@SmritiSharma_) October 1, 2023

Mayor, Jose Ballesta, initially posted on X/Twitter, “Emergency services confirm six dead in the interior of the Teatre nightclub,” and added that emergency services are trying to establish the cause of the blaze. The missing eight people are thought to belong to a group that was celebrating a birthday party in the nightclub. It has also been reported that four people are being treated for smoke inhalation and the number of injuries may rise as more is known.

Keeping the people of Murcia updated, Ballesta then posted:  “The number of deaths inside the Atalayas discotheque rises to 7. Emergency services continue working in the area.  Strength and encouragement to family and friends in these complicated moments.”

His latest Tweet gives the sad news that the death toll has increased, “We regret to inform that the death toll in the Atalayas fire is 13 people. Emergency services continue to work in the area.”

At least 40 firefighters are involved in the struggle to contain the blaze and they are still trying to access the section in which the fire started. Murcia police are also on the scene with investigations already underway into how the blaze started.

🇪🇦 | ÚLTIMA HORA: Seis muertos, cuatro heridos y varios desaparecidos en un incendio en una discoteca de Murcia, España. pic.twitter.com/hkfzz25AtC

— Alerta Mundial (@AlertaMundoNews) October 1, 2023

Responses to the Mayor’s Tweets are pouring in with prayers for the dead and missing and condolences for the relatives of those who have lost their lives in the blaze. The first priority is getting the blaze dampened down to allow firefighters access to the building to begin the hunt for those missing.  The Mayor has now announced three days of official mourning in Murcia.