The deadly fire at a brothel in Bellpuig was accidental, and the man who was hit was fleeing the flames.

BarcelonaTwo women have died, one has been critically injured, and six other people have suffered minor injuries in a fire at a nightclub in Bellpuig (Urgell), according to the Catalan police (Mossos d'Esquadra) and the Generalitat fire brigade. The report of a fire at the Estrellas club, next to the N-II highway, was received at around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Shortly after, at around 10 a.m., just a few meters from the burning building, a man was fatally run over at the Bellpuig train station as he attempted to cross the track at an unauthorized crossing.

The Catalan police (Mossos d'Esquadra) have opened two investigations to clarify the causes of the two incidents, which are related. According to sources consulted by ARA, the main hypothesis is that the fire was caused by accident. Everything points to a fault in the electrical system. The Catalan police investigation also confirmed that the man who was hit by a car was fleeing the fire at the establishment. They also ruled out any involvement in the start of the fire: he was inside the brothel and fled the flames. The distance between the burned establishment and the station is just over 50 meters. Furthermore, the two incidents occurred less than 20 minutes apart.

Shortly after 9:30 a.m., the Fire Department dispatched up to eleven fire crews to the scene, a brothel on Avenida de Lleida de Bellpuig. The emergency services received an alert about a fire affecting the ground floor of a two-story building and have deployed around twenty personnel—including seven water trucks—to work to extinguish the flames.

Six minor injuries

Firefighters reported that when they arrived, the fire was fully developed and they attempted to rescue two people who, according to six witnesses who were able to get outside on their own, had been trapped inside. These two women were located and evacuated, but only their deaths could be certified.

The Emergency Medical System (SEM) treated the other six people, who were in minor condition: three were transferred to the Mollerussa CUAP (Center for Emergency Medicine) and the other three to the Arnau de Vilanova Hospital. One of them is a woman in critical condition. The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police), who have taken charge of the investigation, will speak with these people to try to find out how the fire started. In addition, the forensic police will collect all possible evidence to identify the origin of the fire, which is now clear.

The acting mayor of Bellpuig, Imma Oliva, explained that the establishment had been open to the public for over 10 years, had its paperwork in order and a renewed license, and employed around ten people. The council is not aware of any incidents. "We were surprised. We are shocked by everything it entails," she said.

Car hit by vehicle just a few meters away

Five minutes before 10:00 a.m., the police were also notified of a collision at Bellpuig station, which forced the closure of services on Cercanías Lleida lines RL4 and RL3 between Mollerussa and Tàrrega. According to Renfe and Civil Protection, a person crossed the track at an unauthorized crossing near the Bellpuig stop. Although the person was treated by the Emergency Medical System (SEM), they ultimately died. According to Oliva, the person was believed to be homeless.

The affected train, on line RL4, was stopped in the area with 110 passengers on board and had to be evacuated. Train service through Bellpuig was restored in the afternoon, around 7:00 p.m.

The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, spoke by phone this Saturday (he is on an official trip to China) with the mayor of Bellpuig, Jordi Estiarte, to find out the details about the fire, as he wrote in a message on the social network X. Illa sent his condolences to the families and neighbors of the deceased.