An early morning explosion at a house in Orihuela Costa has left one person injured with severe burns and smoke inhalation
It occurred at about 8am, at a property in Calle Osa Mayor in La Florida, and is thought to have been the result of an explosion of a household appliance although this is still to be confirmed by fire investigators.
Inside the house was an 82-year-old Englishman, identified by friends as Geoff, who was rescued from the upper part of the duplex building. He was transferred to the University Hospital of Torrevieja where he was treated for burns to his legs and symptoms of smoke inhalation.
The emergency services, the Local Police and firefighters from the Torrevieja park were quickly on the scene. At the time of the fire there were three people inside the house, two women downstairs and a man upstairs, where the fire is thought to have occurred. The man was rescued from the house by neighbours from an adjacent property who managed to get him onto the balcony of his house.
However, the man has significant burns on his legs, mainly on his feet, and has had to be taken to the hospital by a SAMU unit. The paramedics also had to treat two Orihuela Local Police officers for smoke inhalation, by administering oxygen.
The quick intervention of firefighters prevented the flames from spreading to neighbouring properties. According to the Provincial Fire Consortium, there were flames and intense black smoke coming from the house which has been badly damaged.
A command unit from the Fire Department’s headquarters moved to the area, as well as a heavy urban pump, with a sergeant, a corporal and four firemen who managed to put the fire. The firefighters also helped the injured man get down from the neighbours’ terrace after he was immobilised with a nest stretcher.
The causes of the explosion and the subsequent fire are currently being investigated.
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