Regarding the cause of the fire, it has been established that the blaze originated inside Le Grand Café. However, the National Police forensics team will be responsible for conducting a full investigation to clarify the exact circumstances. Neither police investigators nor urban planning technicians have been able to safely enter the interior of the property yet, despite several attempts.
Compliance and building regulations
Both buildings - the hotel and the pub - hold the mandatory fire safety reports proving compliance with current anti-fire regulations. The hotel's safety permit dates back to 2007, while the bar's reviewed compliance statement was issued in 2017.
"Regulations require materials to resist fire for a specific duration. The wood used met these legal standards. It is required to withstand a fire for 60 minutes without collapsing. Beyond that threshold, collapse can occur," Barrionuevo stated, defending the overall deployment strategy and response. At the height of the operation, hoses were pumping up to 5,000 litres of water per minute to lower the extreme temperatures.
Urban planning structural assessment
Urban Planning Councillor Carmen Casero highlighted the importance of ensuring public safety and extended her gratitude to her department's technical teams.
"The Building Conservation Service carried out an initial structural inspection on 27 May at the request of the fire brigade. Precautionary measures were put in place, focused exclusively on securing the perimeter and ensuring safety for those who will need to enter the building in later phases. We will continue to mandate further safety protocols. We have ordered the perimeter to be fenced off, structural shoring and propping to be installed, openings to be sealed, and debris to be cleared. These measures will be re-evaluated at every stage," Casero explained.
When questioned about the potential risk of a total structural collapse, the Urban Planning Councillor urged caution: "We must assess this phase by phase. We will be entirely transparent. It is too early to tell whether partial demolitions will be required."
The Fire Chief added that the construction materials used were fully approved under the Technical Building Code. However, Castillo noted that this is one of the longest-running urban fires the city has faced, exhibiting characteristics similar to an industrial warehouse fire due to the structural composition of the property.
