The judge sees no crime in the fire at a Valencia apartment building that killed 10 people.

BarcelonaThe judge sees no evidence of a crime in the dramatic fire that left ten dead and completely burned down a block of flats in the city of Valencia in February 2024. The flames left hundreds of people homeless. After investigating the events, Valencia's 9th Investigative Court closed the case and concluded that the fire was an accident.

According to the investigating judge, "no known or unknown perpetrator" has been found who, intentionally or recklessly, intervened in the cause of the fire. Therefore, there is no person to whom a crime can be attributed, he explains in the ruling. In fact, the judge says that There is not even any indication of the existence of a crime nor of an alleged perpetrator: "The unfortunate events that caused this procedure, which have generated so much alarm in Valencian society, have been classified as an accident, therefore exempt from human intervention."

In the same 23-page ruling, the judge reviews all the steps taken to investigate the case, which have also focused on preventing and extinguishing the fire. During the investigation, some thirty witnesses testified and the judge also received reports from the scientific unit of the National Police. Specifically, their report concluded that the fire started accidentally in a single location, located in the refrigerator of an apartment on the eighth floor.

Facade cladding

Another report considered by the investigator refers to the material used to clad the façade, classified as M1, meaning combustible and non-flammable. The judge notes that the material was used in accordance with the law and found no evidence of negligence in the work of the technicians, suppliers, or manufacturers.

Regarding the work to extinguish the fire, the investigator notes that the Valencia Fire Department worked following protocols and in accordance with "the realities that were occurring within their capabilities."