112 incident
Benalmádena hotel fire: 200 guests sheltered in rooms after massage room blaze
Emergency services praise coordination after automatic sprinklers extinguish Sunday night fire at Hotel Spirit Benalmádena Beach
Benalmádena
A fire broke out at the Hotel Spirit Benalmádena Beach on Sunday night while 200 guests were inside.
"It was a right scare," said ... hotel manager Hugo Uría.
The blaze started in the establishment's massage room at around 9pm, an hour after it had closed. The room was empty at the time and the cause remains under investigation.
Sensors detected the fire and activated the sprinkler system within two minutes, extinguishing the flames before two fire crews arrived. Firefighters reported finding heavy smoke on scene.
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Due to the thick smoke, guests inside were instructed to stay in their rooms, while those arriving were held outside.
By 10.15pm, the fire service declared the area safe. Guests were permitted to leave their rooms and those waiting outside were allowed to enter.
Emergency services praised the "excellent coordination" between hotel staff, local firefighters, and officers from both the National and Local Police.
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