False fire alarm triggers mass evacuation at Malaga’s Martiricos skyscrapers

A smoke detector triggered a false fire alarm in one of the Martiricos skyscrapers in Malaga city on Tuesday morning.

Although no fire was detected, the alarm forced the evacuation of residents and tourists and caused a media uproar.

The emergency services were mobilised at 10am on 27 January, after a call reported that the smoke detector in one of the flats on the 15th floor had gone off.

The fire brigade and the police were mobilised to the scene. The alarm had caused panic among people in the building.

According to residents, "hundreds of people, including children, had to descend 30 floors, barefoot and in their pyjamas". They said that many of the people staying at accommodation flats did not know the language nor the "evacuation routes" or "the safety rules".

As per what residents have said, the detector went off in two "illegal" tourist flats. The Martiricos towers have previously been under scrutiny for lax tourist authorisation regulations.

"It is absolutely unacceptable that Malaga city council and the Andalusian regional ministry of tourism continue allowing tourist housing licences that do not comply with current regulations," residents told the media.

In addition, they said that such incidents happen "practically on a daily basis".