Fire in high-rise apartments kills at least four people in Valencia, Spain

The leader of the regional government in Valencia, Spain, declared a three-day period of mourning on Friday after a fire in a high-rise residential building killed at least four people.

Firefighters and police officers arrived on the scene shortly after 5.30pm on Thursday when the fire engulfed the entire 14-storey building within half an hour.

At least 14 people have been reported missing, and authorities said the number of dead and missing could still rise as high temperatures inside the charred structure prevented rescuers from searching inside.

At a press conference on Friday morning, Carlos Mazón, the president of the regional government, praised the work of first responders, noting that seven of those injured in the fire were firefighters.

Valencia’s municipal government said in a statement that a shelter had been set up in a nearby building to provide practical and psychological support to surviving residents. Another meeting point provided information and support to relatives of missing people, the report said.