Slide burns to the ground as fire erupts in Aqualand, Torremolinos
A spark during welding repairs on slide is believed to be the possible cause of the devastation
A large fire erupted yesterday afternoon at around 3.40pm at the much-loved Aqualand water park in Torremolinos, Malaga. The fire caused a large plume of black smoke to rise into the sky and be seen by many throughout the town.
The emergency services were then bombarded with more than 40 calls reporting the black smoke that was rising into the atmosphere. The fire department has since confirmed that the smoke was coming from the Aqualand water park, where a number of slides had caught fire and then gone up in smoke.
The Speed Racer slide in particular is believed to have suffered badly from the fire. The slide is 17 metres high and is one of the park’s favourite attractions, and yesterday it was seen by many to be engulfed by flames.
According to the sources consulted, the park was closed at the time of the incident, but there were workers inside the premises. Apparently, renovation work was being carried out on the attraction before it went up in flames.
It was initially thought that a spark, caused by the welding repair to the slide, had caused the fire. The City Council then confirmed this belief at around 5.15pm, when they released a statement claiming: "The origin is a spark during welding work."
Furthermore, it is believed that the material used to decorate the attraction was the cause of the strength of the fire's smoke. The City Council also confirmed that: "The company's security measures and the rapid response of emergency personnel have been key in ensuring that the damage was kept within the limits of the park."
Therefore, despite the shocking images of the large smoke cloud created by the fire, the fire was very localised and was under control within an hour of the first sparks. Half an hour after that the fire was completely extinguished and the firefighters were then cooling the hot slide.
Likewise, sources from the Torremolinos City Council, have confirmed that the fire has remained within the perimeter of the park, and has not spread beyond these facilities. Likewise, they affirm that no one has been injured in the fire, nor is there any material damage outside the water park grounds.
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Image: Bomberos
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