Over 100 guests evacuated from Ibis Hotel in Malaga in early morning blaze

Flames erupted in Le Grand Cafe directly beneath the Ibis Hotel in central Malaga early on Monday, May 25 and rapidly spread upwards through the building. Emergency services received alerts at around 1.25am after witnesses spotted the fire in the lower levels on Calle Cerrojo.

Blaze origin and initial response

Witness accounts describe flames visible in the ground-floor cafe shortly after 1.30 am. Crews from Malaga fire services, local police and national police units reached the location quickly and began containment operations. Health services from the Andalucian emergency network also attended but initially reported no casualties on arrival.

Full evacuation of hotel guests

Hotel staff and emergency teams carried out a complete evacuation of every floor. Well over one hundred guests left the premises safely during the night. Some displaced visitors later moved to the nearby Hotel Malaga Centro for temporary accommodation. Fire crews confirmed the entire building was cleared as a precaution while they tackled the spreading smoke and flames.

Challenges in firefighting operations

Firefighters encountered major obstacles because of the hotel structure, which combines iron beams with wooden elements and soundproofing materials. These features allowed hidden flames to continue burning and complicated efforts to reach all affected areas. The fire reached the second floor of the hotel and the much loved Le Grand Cafe beside Guadalmedina River, destroying it completely. Operations continued for several hours with multiple units deployed, and crews eventually brought the main blaze under control although pockets of fire remained.

Current situation and area disruptions

Local police closed several streets around the site and diverted traffic away from the city centre zone. Residents reported a strong smell of smoke across nearby areas. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the fire and continue to examine the scene. One man received hospital treatment for burns while other people received minor on-site medical attention. No fatalities have occurred.