.jpg){kind=link}
An fire originating from an electrical panel in the basement of the Valencia Central Market caused the immediate evacuation of the building on Thursday morning. The fire was detected through a smoke outlet on the exterior facade, which allowed a rapid response from the emergency services. The evacuation operation was completed in less than five minutes, with no serious injuries reported. The only affected person was a parking lot attendant, who was treated for smoke inhalation with mild symptoms, while the rest of those present, including merchants and visitors, left without incident.
The mayor of Valencia, María José Catalá, went to the scene and confirmed that the fire was extinguished shortly after 1:30 p.m. She highlighted the good functioning of the market’s self-protection plan, which allowed an orderly and effective evacuation, despite the high number of people. She also thanked the firefighters, whose five teams and the drone unit contributed to quickly and effectively controlling the situation.
After the fire was extinguished, the tasks focused on ventilating the basement, a priority to ensure safety before evaluating the damage. The mayor indicated that, although the overall impact does not seem to be serious, between four and six of the 400 stops could be affected due to damage to their electrical panels. The merchants can already access the premises to retrieve their merchandise, although reopening to the public is not allowed for now.
The Central Market, an emblematic building built in 1928 and declared of cultural interest, has generated concern among the vendors about the safety of their electrical installations. EMT had to divert several bus lines through the area due to the incident, which is considered the first major eviction of the premises in several decades. The authorities have announced that a report will be prepared to determine the exact causes of the fire.
The building, recognized for its modernist architecture and its polychrome ceramic decoration, remains a key point of the city’s commercial and tourist fabric. Although the partial closure has generated uncertainty, the authorities are confident that the market will be able to recover normality soon. The ventilation and evaluation work continues during the afternoon, with the objective of ensuring that all conditions are guaranteed before any full reopening.