Alex Trelinski
A FIRE incinerated nine motorhomes at a Mazarron seaside campsite and trailer park on Tuesday morning.
Nobody was seriously injured in the blaze with flames reaching three metres in height and visible over a large area.
The Balnuevo site is popular with both domestic and foreign visitors during the winter with the motorhome section said to be at capacity.
A security guard raised the alarm at 1.30 am after spotting flames coming out of a motorhome.
Emergency services said the fire started due to a faulty light bulb in the dwelling.
14 firefighters from Alhama de Murcia, Lorca, and Mazarron responded within minutes and brought the blaze under control which destroyed nine homes.
Six families have been rehoused in on-site bungalows and caravans.
There was just one minor injury suffered by a female motorhome owner who had the faulty light bulb, along with three people who needed treatment for shock.
Campsite deputy manager, Bernabe Lopez, said: “The fire spread quickly to 12 plots occupied by motorhomes and caravans, but not all of them burned because some of the owners managed to drive away.”
A campsite guest from the Basque Country, Jose Antonio Sanchez told the La Verdad newspaper that he heard explosions similar to firecrackers and took his wife to safety from their caravan after seeing flames above some butano cylinders.
German, Roesler Reinhold, said he used a fire extinguisher to stop his motorhome going up in flames.
He was partially successful, but half of the bodywork had melted.
The Bolnuevo campsite has 900 caravan/motorhome and tent pitches and is open as normal, with the fire-ravaged area cordoned off.
