Smoke reappears from the Ibis hotel one week after the fire started

The fire at the Ibis hotel and Le Grand Café in Malaga produced another striking cloud of smoke this Monday morning.

The week has begun with firefighters carrying out cooling and preventative work. The smell of smoke is still lingering in the city centre.

On Sunday afternoon, firefighters had to intervene again when a cloud of smoke reappeared on the upper floors at around 9pm.

In addition, over the weekend authorities erected a security perimeter around the hotel and the premises formerly occupied by Le Grand Café.

Firefighters remain on site carrying out cooling and precautionary work until they can officially declare the fire extinguished. On Sunday, a team comprising a fire engine, an aerial ladder and a water tanker remained at the scene.

The property owner has installed fencing to ensure the safety of the surrounding area, prevent injuries from falling debris and restrict access by unauthorised individuals. This entails closing the pedestrian section of Pasillo de Guimbarda between the Aurora and Trinidad bridges, while traffic remains open on Calle Cerrojo.

The fire started at approximately 1.26am on Monday, 25 May. That was when the emergency services received the first alerts from witnesses. The fire then spread to the hotel above the restaurant.

More than 100 guests had to leave the hotel and move to other accommodation complexes. There were no injuries during the evacuation operation.