The National Police have arrested the manager of one of the two nightclubs that caught fire in Murcia last September where 13 people died. His arrest is within the framework of the judicial investigation that is being carried out to clarify the origin of the incident. According to the first conclusions, the origin of the fire that devastated the Fonda Milagros and Teatre stores could have been cold fire flares.
The investigations indicate that the manager of Fonda Milagros, Juan Esteban Ramírez, contracted the supply of this pyrotechnic material to another person who has also been detained. Scientific Police investigators found remains of these flares that generate cold sparks, but the ones used that night at the premises could not have been approved or may have been faked to create real fire. The two detainees face charges of 13 alleged crimes of reckless homicide.
In this judicial process, under summary secrecy, statements have already been taken from the witnesses and relatives of the victims and the accused as well as the expert reports from the Firefighters and the Scientific Police have yet to be added.
In parallel, relatives of some of the victims have asked the investigating judge to open a separate piece to determine the responsibility of the Murcia City Council in the tragedy. Administratively, Fonda Milagros did not exist and Teatre, the parent company, lacked an activity license and was subject to the closure order.
The legal representation of these relatives of the victims requested on November 3 the indictment of the current Urban Planning Councilor, the popular Antonio Navarro, as well as his predecessor, the socialist Andrés Guerrero. In addition, he requests that statements be taken from the licensing service officials appointed by Mayor José Ballesta, as well as that he himself appear as a witness in the case.
While the judicial process progresses, PP and Vox voted against opening a commission to investigate the event in the Regional Assembly.
