Surveillance cameras capture massive fireball two minutes into Ibis hotel fire

Barrionuevo provided a timeline of events. While the fire has been brought under control since the first Monday, it has not yet been fully extinguished due to safety and technical constraints. The wooden structures inside must be left to burn out completely and take a significant amount of time to cool down. Furthermore, emergency crews have had to tackle the blaze exclusively from the outside due to safety concerns regarding the risk of a partial collapse of the floor structure.

A skeleton crew remains permanently on-site to cool the building down until total extinction is achieved. The fire chief declined to give an exact timeframe for the final dampening down but assured that it is now a matter of a short time.

The exact chronology of the incident was perfectly captured on video. Security cameras along the Pasillo de Santa Isabel revealed critical details about the opening moments of the fire, which broke out at 1.20 am on Monday. Barrionuevo used the digital timestamped footage to explain the rapid progression of the blaze.

At 1.24am, a spectacular explosion occurred, sending a massive fireball erupting from the interior of Le Grand Café. Within two minutes, evacuations began as the hotel successfully activated its emergency self-protection plan. The councillor praised the swift response of the hotel staff and emergency services. The fire brigade was called immediately, and units were dispatched from the Martiricos station. By 1.34am, the first units arrived on the scene. The initial deployment consisted of two crews with two fire engines, a turntable ladder, and a light command vehicle.

Upon arrival, firefighters immediately recognized the sheer scale and complexity of the fire, which was burning with an extremely high thermal load. They promptly requested reinforcements, bringing two additional crews and a water bowser to the banks of the Guadalmedina.

"The main difficulty is that we are dealing with wooden floor structures. We have always prioritised the safety and physical integrity of our professionals, local residents, and passers-by. Tackling the fire from the outside was a purely technical decision. The blaze was incredibly fierce from the very beginning. The explosion we saw on camera took place just four minutes after the start," Barrionuevo emphasized.

At peak times, such as Monday afternoon, up to six fire crews were deployed simultaneously. Service across the rest of the city was reinforced to ensure emergency cover was maintained. Currently, only a minimal control crew remains at the hotel. "At no point was there a shortage of resources, and the safety of our professionals has always come first," the Security Councillor added.

Regarding the cause of the fire, it has been established that the blaze originated inside Le Grand Café. However, the National Police forensics team will be responsible for conducting a full investigation to clarify the exact circumstances. Neither police investigators nor urban planning technicians have been able to safely enter the interior of the property yet, despite several attempts.

Both buildings - the hotel and the pub - hold the mandatory fire safety reports proving compliance with current anti-fire regulations. The hotel's safety permit dates back to 2007, while the bar's reviewed compliance statement was issued in 2017.

"Regulations require materials to resist fire for a specific duration. The wood used met these legal standards. It is required to withstand a fire for 60 minutes without collapsing. Beyond that threshold, collapse can occur," Barrionuevo stated, defending the overall deployment strategy and response. At the height of the operation, hoses were pumping up to 5,000 litres of water per minute to lower the extreme temperatures.

Urban Planning Councillor Carmen Casero highlighted the importance of ensuring public safety and extended her gratitude to her department's technical teams.

"The Building Conservation Service carried out an initial structural inspection on 27 May at the request of the fire brigade. Precautionary measures were put in place, focused exclusively on securing the perimeter and ensuring safety for those who will need to enter the building in later phases. We will continue to mandate further safety protocols. We have ordered the perimeter to be fenced off, structural shoring and propping to be installed, openings to be sealed, and debris to be cleared. These measures will be re-evaluated at every stage," Casero explained.

When questioned about the potential risk of a total structural collapse, the Urban Planning Councillor urged caution: "We must assess this phase by phase. We will be entirely transparent. It is too early to tell whether partial demolitions will be required."

The Fire Chief added that the construction materials used were fully approved under the Technical Building Code. However, Castillo noted that this is one of the longest-running urban fires the city has faced, exhibiting characteristics similar to an industrial warehouse fire due to the structural composition of the property.