Initial investigations suggest the cause of death was smoke inhalation. Four of the victims were minors, while one had recently turned 18. Most were students at the Antoni Pous i Argila Institute in the town of Manlleu.
“"It is the darkest day the municipality remembers."
Mayor Arnau Rovira stated that the city council had no prior knowledge of the storage room being used as a meeting point. Five other people suffered minor injuries during the incident, including four members of the Local Police.
The Bombers de la Generalitat responded with 13 units after receiving the emergency call at 9:10 PM. Although the fire was extinguished within 30 minutes, emergency crews discovered the victims inside the small space on the fifth floor.
