Major blaze in Benalmádena is stabilised and Costa del Sol train service restored after evacuation of 200 people from their homes

An urban fire broke out in the early hours of this Thursday morning (11 September) in Benalmádena - specifically in the Torremuelle area - forcing the preventive evacuation of several homes. Due to the risk, around 200 people were moved to safety: about 150 were taken to the Benalma Hotel and around 30 to the Benalmádena Pueblo pavilion.

The relocated people are those from Carretera del Sol, Finca Casablanca, and Torremuelle areas, like Melissa, who was asleep with her partner when she began receiving the alerts. "The fire was just a few metres away," explained Sebastian, of a group from Germany who arrived for a holiday two days ago.

All began returning to their homes at around 8.30am, sources have confirmed to SUR.

Spain's rail infrastructure operator Adif reported that the Cercanías C1 commuter line between Malaga city and Fuengirola was closed on the section between Benalmádena and Fuengirola due to the fire being close to the track. The company said that rail traffic on that section was halted at the request of the firefighters. However, it has since reopened.

It was at 2.15am this morning, Benalmádena firefighters called on Torremolinos fire station to assist with a blaze affecting pine trees and reed beds near homes near the motorway in the Los Peñones district. Later, units from Alhaurín de la Torre, Fuengirola, Malaga city and Plan Infoca were added to the efforts.

Several residential developments were evacuated, and several homes have been affected.

At 3am the CPB Málaga provincial fire brigade command post was mobilised to the scene. Then, at 5.50am, crews from Estepona and Coín were also activated, but their support was subsequently withdrawn. At 7.30am, the Torremolinos crew had left the scene, but work was still ongoing to extinguish the fire.

The Junta de Andalucía's Plan Infoca brigade reported on the social network X that it was also tackling the fire with four ‍groups of forest firefighters, an operations technician and a fire engine.

The town hall added that a large number of firefighters from Benalmádena along with Malaga provincial brigade (CPB) crews based in Torremolinos, Marbella, Fuengirola and Malaga city were working on the extinguishing tasks.

The National Police, Local Police and Civil Protection teams in Benalmádena also worked to implement the town's emergency plan.