Kirsty Mckenzie
PARTYGOERS let off firecrackers causing mass panic and confusion at a hotel in Barcelona on Monday.
Families were quickly evacuated from the Petit Palace hotel close to La Rambla at noon.
The explosion, which coincided with the eve of the fourth anniversary of the La Rambla attack on August 17, 2017, caused a scene of terror as people reported hearing ‘shooting’.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, with five fire brigade vehicles rushing to the hotel. Gour from the Mossos, three from the Servei d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) and seven from the Guardia Urbana alsol attended the incident.
But police have confirmed that there was no cause for alarm and no one was injured, despite a man being seen running from the hotel covered in blood.
Deputy Mayor for Security of the Barcelona City Council explained that the man had cut himself on a shower screen and that the explosion was caused by firecrackers released by partygoers celebrating a major festival in Sant Roc in the streets nearby.
Albert Batlle said: “There have been a series of coincidences which raised the alarm.
Batlle reassured the public that there was no need to panic and praised the authorities for reacting to the incident, which was initially treated as a suspected attack, so efficiently.
The hotel reopened its doors at 2pm and guests were able to return to their rooms without issue.
But people on Twitter have voiced their disgust for anyone who may have set off firecrackers so close to the anniversary of the devastating 2017 terrorist attack.
One person wrote: “It’s way too soon to be playing around with firecrackers.”
READ MORE
Spain starts trial of suspected terrorists responsible for deadly terror attack
