Firemen from the Provincial Consortium of the Vega Baja on Sunday night were called to a violent fire in the warehouse of a large DIY store and a restaurant on the National-332 highway between Pilar de la Horadada and San Pedro del Pinatar. On arriving at the scene the firemen had to evacuate almost twenty people who were in the establishment at the time.
The alert occurred just after 9.30 pm in the bricolaje Pepeterio – General Store and DIY retail warehouse, which accommodated a large amount of combustible material, including wood, solvents and varnishes.
Those evacuated were the people working in the establishment at the time, selling wine in bulk. They were located at the front of the store. Although thefire had been put out by about 4am, a number of firefighter’s remained at the scene to monitor the dampened ashes.
The ferocity of the flames burnt out much of the structure of the 1,000-square-meter store, along with parts of the neighboring restaurant “Salt and Pepper” although a spokesman said that the firemen had been able to save most of this establishment from destruction.
The N332 had to be closed in both directions at kilometer 39, with all traffic diverted to the AP-7.
In addition to all the firefighters from Almoradí and Torrevieja assistance was also received from the neighboring Region of Murcia, two vehicles from Los Alcázares and San Pedro del Pínatar (the border between the two regions is just 300 meters from the fire to the south of the urban area of Pilar de la Horadada).
Sources from the Consortium said that the fire could only be controlled with assistance outside the area as the fire itself was burning with such ferocity causing much of the structure to collapse.
The fire affected the whole of the area, about a thousand square meters, although it was stopped before it reached an exhibition area of wooden sheds and houses.
