The lockdown has been lifted in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Roquetas del Garraf, Cubelles, Cunit and Calafell due to a warehouse fire.

BarcelonaThe Catalan government has lifted the lockdown imposed in Vilanova i la Geltrú, the Roquetas de Sant Pere de Ribes area, Cubelles, Cunit, and Calafell due to a fire at a swimming pool chemical products factory, which has now been stabilized. The measure has affected approximately 150,000 people, who have been unable to leave their homes since early this morning (the warning was sent at 5:30 a.m.) and have had to close doors and windows to prevent the resulting toxic cloud from affecting them. The government, however, recommends that vulnerable people, such as the elderly or those with respiratory problems, and children, in Vilanova i la Geltrú and the Roquetas de Sant Pere de Ribes area avoid going outside to minimize the impact of the smoke.

The Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, has announced the return of mobility, which has been restricted since early this morning to avoid affecting residents of the affected towns. However, Fire Chief David Borrell has warned that the wind, which is now carrying the toxic cloud toward a sparsely populated area, could change at any moment and, if necessary, they will again restrict the movement of people. "If we see that there is danger, we will declare a lockdown, and if normal life can be resumed, we will lift it. It will be a dynamic lockdown," he clarified.

The fire started just after 2:00 a.m. at the facilities of CleanWater Pool, a company dedicated to the distribution of swimming pool maintenance products located at 18 Rambla dels Països Catalans. The warehouse stored chlorine tablets (one weighing 70 tons), which must be activated in the Emergency phase of PLASEQCAT (External Emergency Plan for the Chemical Sector of Catalonia). With the fire stabilized, the emergency services downgraded the plan to Alert phase.

Parlon detailed that the Medical Emergency System (SEM) has treated three people with minor injuries. One was discharged immediately, and the other two were transferred to the Sant Antoni Abad primary care center in Vilanova. Civil Protection has sent an alert message to the mobile phones of the entire population requiring confinement. The alarm was raised at 4:30 a.m., when the fire had been burning for hours and the time was approaching when residents could begin to get up.

During the emergency phase, traffic has been closed on the C-15 and C-31 highways near Vilanova i la Geltrú for safety reasons, and the public has been asked to avoid travel in this area. Furthermore, trains on the R2 South line have not stopped between Sitges and Sant Vicenç de Calders. The regional minister reported that normal service has now returned to the roads and rail network, but a 500-meter exclusion zone remains in place around the affected factory.

Difficulties extinguishing the flames

Borrell explained that they encountered "many complications" in carrying out the extinguishing efforts. Since the burning was chlorine tablets, each time the firefighters threw water to prevent the flames from spreading, they generated a chemical reaction that fueled the toxic cloud. Specifically, hydrochloric acid was produced, which is toxic and causes irritability. "We had difficulties finding this balance, keeping the fire from spreading, but also preventing the cloud from growing larger," the firefighter's chief explained.

To extinguish the blaze, the firefighters mobilized 60 personnel and 28 ground crews. Specifically, they used 12 water vehicles, two fire ladder trucks, 14 light command vehicles, personnel and cargo transport vehicles, including the Chemical Risk Van, and the Medium Command Unit (UCM). Personnel from the Technological Risk Support Group (GRIT) and the Operational Support Group (GROS) have also been deployed, according to the ACN.

It met "all legal requirements."

The owner of the facilities where the fire broke out, Jorge Viñuales, assured that they met "all legal requirements" for storing chemicals. Speaking to Catalunya Ràdio, he confirmed that the warehouse contains products for maintaining swimming pool water, especially chlorine tablets, although he denied that there were 70 tons. "Much less, but at this time it is difficult to specify the total amount," he said. He also specified that no one was there at the time the fire broke out, but declined to speculate on what the cause might have been, which will now be investigated.

The Generalitat Fire Department alerted Viñuales of the fire in the early hours of the morning. "I must thank him for his diligence, which prevented the fire from affecting neighboring warehouses," he said. The owner of the affected business is concerned about the situation that has arisen, but also calm and confident that the situation "will be resolved soon."