A thick column of black smoke rising over L’Hospitalet de Llobregat on Saturday morning prompted a swift emergency response, after a fire broke out in the kitchen of a local bar. The incident, which occurred on Avenida de la Electricitat, resulted in minor injuries to the bar’s owner and required the temporary closure of the street.
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Emergency services received a call to the 112 hotline at approximately 8:30 AM, alerting them to smoke billowing from a building in the Barcelona suburb. Six units from the Bombers de la Generalitat, the Catalan fire brigade, were dispatched to the scene, along with patrols from the local Guàrdia Urbana of L’Hospitalet and ambulances from the Sistema d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM).
Kitchen Fire Contained Within Chimney
Upon arrival, emergency crews determined the fire started in the kitchen’s extractor hood. Fire brigade sources, speaking to local news outlet El Caso, explained the flames spread through the entire chimney pipe. This containment produced the dense smoke that initially alarmed local residents, yet it crucially prevented the fire from spreading to the rest of the building.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, even before the main fire engines had fully deployed. While the incident was swiftly brought under control, it highlights the potential dangers of fires in residential and commercial buildings. For instance, a more serious apartment blaze in L’Hospitalet recently forced the evacuation of 50 residents, demonstrating how rapidly such situations can escalate.
Bar Owner Treated for Minor Burns
The bar’s 52-year-old owner suffered minor burns to his hands during the incident. SEM paramedics attended to him at the scene, according to a statement from the Guàrdia Urbana. His injuries were deemed minor and did not require hospitalisation.
No other individuals were affected by the fire or smoke. Firefighters successfully confined the flames to the ventilation duct, ensuring that the apartments on the floors above the bar remained undamaged. To ensure public safety and allow emergency crews to work, the Guàrdia Urbana cordoned off a section of the Avenida de la Electricitat.
Investigation Points to Electrical Fault
After extinguishing the flames, firefighters began ventilating the smoke-filled premises. This involved removing a portion of the bar’s false ceiling to clear accumulated smoke and gain access to the ventilation shaft for a thorough inspection. They found the duct completely burnt out by the blaze.
The official cause of the fire remains under investigation. However, initial reports suggest a possible electrical fault as the most likely origin. Crews remained on site to secure the area and conduct final checks before handing the property back to its owner.
