Elisa Menendez
TWO people have died while at least 28 others have been seriously injured after a shocking firework explosion in north west Spain.
The incident took place at 4.25pm in Tui, in Galicia, when the fireworks – for which the owner did not have a licence – exploded in a house.
A local, dubbed ‘Francisco R’, was arrested last night on charges of negligent homicide.
It is believed they could have set off due to high temperatures the region faced over the last few days.
Two victims were found dead in the same house and have not been identified, due to the unrecognisable state they were found in.
Seven children were also injured in the incident.
12 homes have been completely destroyed, while up to 20 other houses are at high risk of collapsing.
The blast was so extreme it could be heard in the next province, Pontevedra, while windows of homes and cars were shattered within a 2.5 mile radius.
Forest fires began to devastate the area but were put out by around 6pm yesterday, while firefighters worked through the night to cool the area.
Shocking TV footage shows a huge ball of smoke in the sky following the explosion.
Jorge Salgueiro Mendes, Mayor of Valenca do Minho, was in the mountains when he heard the rumble.
“It looked like a bomb. It was brutal,” he told La Voz de Galicia.
The city council of Tui has announced three days of mourning for the explosion, which is the largest tragedy the area has ever suffered.
