Death toll in Spanish building fire hits 9, with 1 missing, as questions grow about speed of blaze

By ALICIA LEÓN and CIARÁN GILES
Associated Press

VALENCIA, Spain (AP) — The death toll in a fire that engulfed an apartment block in the Spanish city of Valencia has risen to nine as questions were raised about whether construction materials caused the fire to spread so rapidly. One person remained missing, according to forensic police, who after identification procedures downgraded the death toll from an official’s account of 10 provided earlier following a visual count of remains. The fire started Thursday evening and quickly engulfed the two residential buildings. Neighbors described seeing the rapid spread of the blaze, residents stuck on balconies and hearing children screaming. Police found 9 bodies in the gutted residential buildings.