Five teenagers die in residential fire in Catalonia, Spain

Five young people have died after a fire broke out in a storage space in a residential block in north-eastern Spain. Four others sustained injuries in the blaze, BBC reports.

Catalonia’s fire brigade reported that residents raised the alarm about the fire in a five-storey building in Manlleu, approximately 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Barcelona, shortly after 21:00 local time (20:00 GMT) on February 16.

The victims’ identities have not yet been confirmed, though Spanish media outlets indicate that they were teenagers. Police are investigating the cause of the fire.

The storage space, located on the building’s upper floor, is believed to have been converted into a living area. Firefighters said it remains unclear why the victims were unable to escape.

Catalan President Salvador Illa Roca expressed his shock at the tragedy and offered his “deepest condolences to families and friends” affected by the fire.

Emergency services responded quickly, and the blaze was contained, but the incident has raised concerns about the safety of improvised living spaces in residential buildings.

By Vafa Guliyeva