TW
0

A fire on the terrace of the Corte Inglés department store in Avenida Jaime III caused alarm in the centre of Palma, due to a dense column of smoke which was visible from various parts of the city. Three employees had to be treated for smoke inhalation. The alarm was raised by a neighbour minutes before 9am. The fire started in the annex to the department store, where the car park is situated. It broke out in the air conditioning tower, which is no longer used and is in the process of being dismantled. According to Josep ramis, a spokesman for El Corte Ingles, a spark believed to be from a short circuit fell on to the insulation material and this caused the dense smoke. Two security guards and a member of the maintenance staff tried to put out the flames, unsuccessfully, and all three suffered smoke inhalation. They were treated on the spot and were then taken to hospital by ambulance for observation. Another worker needed on-the-spot treatment for hysteria.