Fire evacuates 80 residents in Valencia apartment blocks

Fire forces evacuation in Valencia squatters building, court ordered clearing coincides with blaze in Benicalap, residents describe threats and filth as emergency services take over

A fire in two ground-floor flats in Valencia forced the evacuation of about 80 residents from two apartment blocks, as dense smoke spread through the buildings in the Benicalap neighbourhood. Euronews reports there were no injuries, and municipal sources said the fire was brought under control while dozens of fire crews remained on scene.

The flats where the blaze began were occupied by squatters and were due to be cleared under a court order the same day. Investigators are examining whether the fire was started deliberately, Euronews reports, while keeping other lines of inquiry open. Valencia’s mayor, María José Catalá, visited Picayo street and said some residents might not be able to spend the night in their homes because of the smoke.

The episode shows how quickly a housing dispute can become a public-safety incident once a building is being managed outside normal ownership and tenancy rules. For neighbours who share stairwells, ventilation shafts and electrical infrastructure, the distinction between “someone else’s flat” and “everyone’s building” disappears the moment smoke fills the corridors. Residents interviewed by Euronews complained about the situation around the squatters, citing threats, dirt and faeces on the floor—grievances that typically accumulate for months before any court-ordered action arrives.

When an eviction order is finally executed, the incentives can shift again. People facing removal may have little reason to preserve a property they do not own and cannot legally keep, while the owner’s ability to supervise conditions is already compromised. That leaves the city to manage the externalities: emergency response, temporary accommodation, and the downstream costs of rehousing families who were not party to the original conflict but are forced out anyway.

Valencia’s council activated its Social Emergency Care and Emergency Support Service (SAUS) to assess needs and assist residents, and some people were taken to a municipal centre, according to Euronews. Firefighters also worked to rescue pets as operations continued.

By the end of the day, the flames had been confined to the ground floor, but the building above was still dealing with smoke. The court order was executed, the residents were evacuated, and the cause of the fire remained undetermined.