The origin of the hell that turned Los Gallardos into a death trap

Almeria fire

The Guardia Civil are investigating the origin of the disaster next to the old Anita restaurant, where a disused power line and the trap of dispersed urban development triggered one of the worst fires on record

Almudena Santos

A drive along the motorway is enough to grasp the magnitude of the Los Gallardos fire disaster in Almeria. Looking to the right, from the outskirts of Los Gallardos to just over two kilometres past Almocaízar, the landscape is desolate. It's a stark image of the devastation that began on Thursday and wasn't declared stabilised until Sunday.

To the left, life goes on, the natural colours of the area remain untouched, as if the flames had never threatened the towns in this corner of eastern Almeria.

The epicentre of the fire is at the former Restaurante Anita. The word 'restaurante' is still visible, next to the arrow pointing in the direction of the burned building.

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    • The perimeter is cordoned off. "It's private property, you can't enter," the police warned. The main hypothesis of the investigation suggests that the fire started from a spark on the utility pole located inside the facility.

      Fitting the pieces together is complex. The restaurant it supplied has been closed for five years. Energy ompany Endesa, which is responsible for installing the power point, has been adamant. On Friday, it stated that it was impossible for the fire to have originated from their network because the line was de-energised.

      To find out how electricity could have flowed through a theoretically inert cable, investigators have inspected the area accompanied by the local electrician who had previously worked on the property's private electrical system. They have released no further details.

      From a distance, two completely destroyed cars reveal the scale of the tragedy. Their condition is similar to that of the vehicles trapped in the Curato area, where several victims of this fire lost their lives. The death toll has risen to 13, following the death of a 93-year-old British woman with severe burns.

      The windows of the old Restaurante Anita are now shattered, echoes of its former life still lingering. Chairs, tables and scraps of fabric remain. Surprisingly, the bar, from which drinks flowed to the dining area just five years ago, is still intact.

      The neglect, however, has taken its toll. The paint on the ceilings and walls is peeling away. The toilets, located to the right of the establishment, bear witness to the flames' ravages. Although the sink, mirror and toilets still stand amid dust and debris, the metal soap dispensers are completely charred by the fire that managed to seep into the room.

      That initial spark found the perfect breeding ground. The high temperatures and wind were compounded by the area's sprawling urban landscape, with residential areas connected by narrow, one-way streets that the fire severed in a matter of minutes.

      Now, those returning home, thanks to the emergency services declaring the fire under control, can't help slowing their cars and peering out the window. They know that this is the beginning of a historic disaster that devoured everything in its path.

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