The last day of Sant Vicent in Teulada was marred by an unfortunate fire started by fireworks display. The events occurred when some castle caps were moved by the wind towards some nearby trees that began to burn.
The fire was declared under control at 02:16 hours after it started at 22:53, but the fire is still not considered extinguished. In recent statements to clarify how and why everything happened, the mayor of Teulada Moraira, Raul Llobell, has described the fire as "a complete accident", repeatedly stressing that "there were no wind warnings or inconveniences reported by the security forces, the pyrotechnics or the engineer in charge at the time the fireworks display was started that would have led to it being considered to be cancelled."
The mayor explained that one of the carcasses fell on a tree, which sparked the fire. After seeing it live, Llobell himself ordered the Local Police to stop the shooting, otherwise the firefighters would not be able to access it. Although no personal injuries have been reported, the mayor has stressed, material damage and the loss of several pigeons located in a hut near the scene of the incident have been recorded.
As for the evictions, these were temporary. Between 10 and 15 people were evacuated from their homes, who were finally able to return around 01:30 a.m.
Llobell reiterated this morning that all established safety protocols were followed and highlighted the collaboration of the neighbors to contain the fire. Furthermore, he has confirmed that the City Council has recently renewed the emergency protocols, adapting them to the current drought conditions that the Marina Alta is experiencing, although he has recognized the possibility of improving security at similar events.
Regarding the celebrations in honor of the patron saint of Teulada, Sant Vicent Ferrer, the mayor has assured that these will continue with the corresponding security measures, following the protocols of the authorities and being alert to weather conditions.
Once the fire is extinguished, we will have to wait for the final report from the firefighters who will bring to light the gusts of wind recorded at the time of the fire. Something that could determine whether additional adjustments are required in local safety protocols from now on and given that we are entering the dates of maximum heat in the region.
