Emergency Services Investigate Possible Arson in Torrevieja's Lagunas de la Mata Fire

A fierce fire broke out in the Lagunas de la Mata area in Torrevieja, challenging the Emergency Services on Friday afternoon and evening. The intense blaze started in the natural park around 7 PM, between the El Chaparral urbanization and the La Mata Salt Lagoon.

What initially "started as a small bonfire quickly spread, affecting a large area of the park," explained the Torrevieja Emergency Department. The alert was raised by a passerby who saw a large amount of smoke.

A local police unit arrived at the scene and confirmed the existence of three fire sources, "which suggests it might have been intentional," stated the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium (CPB).

Due to the intensity of the fire, several units of municipal police, the Civil Guard of Torrevieja and Guardamar, as well as units from the Almoradí, Orihuela, and Torrevieja fire stations, were deployed, mobilizing a total of five units to fight the flames, along with a brigade and a forest fire engine.

According to the CPB, the fire was brought under control after three hours of "intense work," with the fire being declared under control at 10:13 PM and fully extinguished by 2 AM.

The firefighting efforts involved a command unit, two heavy urban pumps, a heavy rural pump, and a heavy tanker pump, in addition to firefighters from up to three consortium stations located in Vega Baja.