A flare launched from a boat during the Virgen del Carmen procession in Estepona struck a building on Avenida España, breaking a window and prompting the preventive evacuation of the property due to fire risk.
The projectile, which was fired from a boat as the image of the patroness entered the sea, hit the first floor of a building located next to the beach on Avenida España. The events occurred around 22:00 on Thursday, when the maritime celebration was at its peak.
According to eyewitnesses, the flare broke through the glass of an office and began to generate smoke, alerting the emergency services that were already deployed in the area. Firefighters acted immediately and ordered the preventive evacuation of the building due to the risk of a fire breaking out.
Firefighters' intervention and preventive evacuation
The firefighters entered the building to assess the damage and ensure there was no fire risk. Fortunately, the incident resulted in a great scare and no injuries were reported. The evacuated residents were able to return to their homes in the hours following the incident.
The rapid action of the emergency teams prevented the situation from escalating. The flare, which could have caused a significant fire, was removed by the firefighters once it was confirmed that there was no danger.
Reactions and calls for caution
The Estepona City Council has reminded the importance of exercising extreme caution during events involving fireworks and flares, especially when conducted from boats near urban areas. Municipal sources have indicated that the origin of the projectile will be investigated to determine if there was any negligence.
Local residents, who experienced moments of tension, have expressed their relief at the happy outcome of the incident. "
Thank goodness nothing serious happened, but the scare was enormous," commented a resident of the affected building.
The Virgen del Carmen procession is a deeply rooted tradition in Estepona, and this incident has not completely overshadowed the celebration, although it has highlighted the need to strengthen security measures for future events.
The City Council has announced that security protocols will be reviewed for upcoming editions, with the aim of preventing a similar incident from occurring again. Meanwhile, the affected residents have already returned to their homes and normalcy has returned to Avenida España.
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