Five Young People Killed in Apartment Block Fire in Manlleu, Spain

Five young people have died after a fire broke out in a storage area of a residential building in Manlleu, about 80km north of Barcelona. The blaze started shortly after 21:00 local time on Monday in a five-storey apartment block, according to Catalonia’s fire brigade. Four other people sustained minor injuries in the incident.

Authorities said the victims’ identities have not yet been officially confirmed, but local reports suggest they were all under 18, with one as young as 12. None of the deceased reportedly lived in the building. Firefighters are still investigating why the group was unable to escape from the upper-floor storage room, which is believed to have been informally used as a meeting place.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way. The local council has declared three days of mourning and is offering support to affected families. Catalan President Salvador Illa expressed shock over the tragedy and extended his condolences to the victims’ relatives and friends.

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