Blaze at Vélez-Málaga industrial area under control

A fire which broke out at around 7pm on Tuesday 2 June at a refrigerated lorry depot in the El Trapiche area of Vélez-Málaga on the eastern Costa del Sol is now under control. The blaze mobilised a large-scale emergency response and caused concern among local residents.

The fire produced a huge column of black smoke and flames visible from numerous points across the Axarquía. Municipal sources told SUR that the fire brigade would "continue working throughout the night” at the site to bring the fire under control, as late on Tuesday evening it was "under control but not yet extinguished”.

The flames affected an industrial unit located next to the A-356 and A-7205 roads, two of the main transport routes in the inland Axarquía area, at a particularly sensitive location due to the proximity of a petrol station and other business premises, as well as residential properties.

Several crews from Malaga's provincial fire service (CPB), from the stations in Vélez-Málaga and Colmenar, were deployed to the scene and worked to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby buildings and to bring the various hotspots within the industrial site under control.

Municipal sources consulted have informed SUR that the affected building belongs to the company Francisco Ortega, a repair workshop for refrigerated lorries, located next to a petrol station and also close to the Axaragua water treatment plant. “The situation is under control and they are advising the nearest residents to stay in their homes with all windows and doors closed, as the smoke could be toxic and to follow the instructions of the local police at all times." They also urged people to "avoid unnecessary travel in the area while safety and control operations continue".

The fire is believed to have started inside the warehouse, where several heavy goods vehicles and industrial machinery were parked. However, the causes of the fire have not yet been determined and will be investigated by the National Police once fire-fighting operations have been fully concluded.

A number of precautionary evacuations were initially carried out in the buildings closest to the affected warehouse, due to the risk posed by the intensity of the fire and the thick smoke generated by the burning of materials stored inside, such as tyres.

Residents have been able to return to their homes in stages, where they have remained indoors with windows and doors closed to prevent smoke from entering. The strong westerly wind and high temperatures recorded on this second day of June 2026, combined with the hot terral wind, complicated the fire-fighting efforts. In fact, Vélez-Málaga recorded the highest temperature in the province, at 38.4 degrees, followed by the airport and Torremolinos.

Despite the dramatic nature of the incident, there are no reports of any injuries or casualties. Emergency services remain on standby while firefighters continue to work to fully extinguish the fire. This is the second major fire in an industrial unit in Vélez-Málaga in the space of just two months, following the one that occurred on 17 April in the Cajiz industrial estate, which affected five units.