Spain’s blackout claims five lives amid widespread chaos

At least five people have died in Spain in connection with the recent widespread power outage.

In Galicia’s Ourense province, three members of a single family were found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning, believed to have been caused by a generator they were using during the blackout, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

In the Valencia region, a woman passed away after her oxygen machine, which required electricity, stopped working when the power failed. Another fatality occurred in Madrid, where a woman died in a fire suspected to have been triggered by a candle lit due to the outage. Authorities are continuing to assess the full impact of the blackout, which disrupted daily life across much of the country.

On April 28, 2025, a massive and unprecedented power outage hit Spain, Portugal, and parts of southwestern France, plunging millions into darkness and causing widespread disruptions across the Iberian Peninsula.

The blackout began around 12:33 p.m. (GMT+2), affecting major cities like Madrid and Barcelona. Critical services were disrupted, including public transport systems such as metros and high-speed trains, leaving passengers stranded. Traffic lights went out, resulting in severe congestion that was managed manually by police and locals. Hospitals relied on backup generators, and businesses, including major retailers like Zara, either closed or operated without power. ATMs and electronic payment systems were down, forcing some stores to extend credit to regular customers or shut down completely.

The outage also caused significant disruptions to major events, such as the suspension of the Madrid Open tennis tournament. Airports faced delays, and oil refineries, including those operated by Moeve and Petronor, ceased operations.

By Naila Huseynova