About 160,000 people in Catalonia are called upon to stay locked in their homes because of a toxic cloud caused by a fire that broke out in an industrial storage area.
“If it is in the area that has been affected, do not get out of your homes or workplace,” Catalonia’s civil protection wrote on social media for the toxic cloud.
The affected communities are on the southeast coast of Spain, between Barcelona and Tarragona.
At present, “there are no reports of injuries,” the Fire Department told X, adding that strong forces have been mobilized to extinguish the fire.
The fire broke out at dawn today in an industrial storage area where pool products were located in the Villanova community I L La Geltro, causing a chlorine toxic cloud, according to the fire department.
Fires in nava #Vng
The company, dedicated to the maintenance of pools, contains chlorine and has created a cloud that is dangerous for the safety of the people.
It is reported that the population is confined
Avoid approaching the site
Close windows and doors pic.twitter.com/UKJdDYtaVK– Local Police Vilanova i la Geltrú (@PLVNG) May 10, 2025
This morning the service announced that it has controlled the fire, but firefighters continue to “monitor the toxic cloud caused to control its evolution and its toxicity levels”.
What did Szczesny in Vilanova I the Geltrú? pic.twitter.com/VFGJ7hfSg8
– Masa enraged (@enfsal) May 10, 2025
“Chlorine rarely fires, but when it burns it is very difficult to extinguish,” said Jorge Vinules Alonso owner of the industrial storage, speaking on the radio.