IBERIA747 From Spain, joined Aug 2003, 1825 posts, RR: 62 Posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 1411 times:
Yes...it is happening, but this is not a movie.
Unfortunately, one of Madrid's most important office buildings is on fire right now.
The "Edificio Windsor", a 30-floor building (built in the late 70s) located right in the heart of the AZCA district is getting burned since 11:30 p.m. tonight.
The images shown by the TV are dramatic, and there's a big chance that the building will go down as the fire is out of control and has invaded more than 50% of the floors.
Downtown Madrid has become a total chaos and nobody is allowed to come closer than 1000 meters from the building.
IBERIA747 From Spain, joined Aug 2003, 1825 posts, RR: 62 Reply 2, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 1371 times:
They are fighting the fire...but they just can't stop it, and it's getting larger every minute. About 5 or 6 floors of the upper part of the building have collapsed already according to the TV news. It's 2:03 a.m. right now here in Spain.
JamesAg96 From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 2095 posts, RR: 8 Reply 4, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 1362 times:
IBERIA747 From Spain, joined Aug 2003, 1825 posts, RR: 62 Reply 5, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1350 times:
No info about probable causes...but one thing is certain...it's starting to collapse and will fall down sooner or later. The major of Madrid has declared the complete loss of the building.
IBERIA747 From Spain, joined Aug 2003, 1825 posts, RR: 62 Reply 7, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1339 times:
About 60 firefighters were trying to control the fire (which started in floor 21) until it started to reach the upper levels. Now it's completely out of control.
LTBEWR From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 12335 posts, RR: 12 Reply 8, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1323 times:
Any idea of the causes of this fire? terrorism possible? Electical short?
This reminds me of a 30+ story building in Phildelphia, PA, USA (Meridian Bank Building, across the street from City Hall) that had a severe fire in the early 1990's (?). I believe the fire was caused by an overheated HVAC blower motor (you can locate info on this fire on the net). Although the fire was concentrated on a couple of floors (2-3), the heat was so intense that it weakned the whole steel frame on on those floors. As the building had significant asbestos insulation and other issues, and after many years of litigation by the owner and the insurance companies, it was finally decided to tear it down. The Duetuche Bank building just south of the WTC site was badly damaged by parts of the south tower of the WTC falling onto it, that is has a lot of asbestos in it's structure, loaded with ash and other debreis from the WTC collaspe/fire and later mold, that after considerable review with the insurance company and the owner, it has been decided to tear down that building too.
Lets hope here that nobody died in this terrifying fire, or gets killed fighting it. God bless them.
Newark777 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 9348 posts, RR: 33 Reply 10, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1233 times:
MIA From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 862 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1222 times:
I hope you guys get this resolved. The way in which you resolve it will probably demonstrate the preparedness of your government to affront any emergency.
"Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen."
Aerobalance From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 4634 posts, RR: 51 Reply 12, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1214 times:
B757300 From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 4114 posts, RR: 25 Reply 13, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 1216 times:
Sat Feb 12, 9:49 PM ET
The upper floors of the Windsor Building are seen collapsing engulfed in fire in Madrid, Spain, early Sunday, Feb. 13, 2005 in this six photo combo. A spectacular, raging fire engulfed the 32-story office building sending flaming chunks of facade cascading to the ground and consuming the building like a candle. The cause of the blaze was not immediately known. (AP Photo/Jasper Juinen)
IBERIA747 From Spain, joined Aug 2003, 1825 posts, RR: 62 Reply 14, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 1117 times:
Fire seems to be under control now, but has destroyed the 32 floors. Firefighters are now focusing their effort in avoiding that the fire could jump to neighbouring buildings, one of them being a huge department store (El Corte Inglés).
Metro (subway) lines 6, 8 and 10 have been suspended and the "Nuevos Ministerios" station is closed until further notice.
The train transfers between Chamartin and Atocha stations have been suspended as well.
Thank God, the building is still standing after being completely burned by the huge fire thanks to having a concrete structure (temperatures inside could have gone up to 800ºC according to Madrid Fire Dept.) but it will be demolished soon as it has been seriously affected.
SFOMEX From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 1111 times:
Glad nobody died. I've tried to catch the news on TV but unsuccessfully so far. Neither CNN International nor Fox News are covering the fire. Well, even TVE International is airing a documentary about agriculture in Spain.
Yokohama1970 From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 199 posts, RR: 2 Reply 16, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1067 times:
Please, let's hope it is not Al Qaeda or ETA. Spain has suffered too many terrorist acts between ETA & Al Qaeda (March 11, 2004)! Hopefully, there is no loss of life? ETA injured 42 people in Madrid only a few days ago & has warned several countries about terrorist activites. I hope the Windsor Building fire is not terrorist related.
Embraer145 From Netherlands, joined Feb 2001, 311 posts, RR: 13 Reply 18, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 1015 times:
Mentioned in the Dutch news it's caused by a short circuit in the electric wiring!! As NoUFO mentioned the building was not in use for more then 1 year due to renovation works.
Doug_Or From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3163 posts, RR: 4 Reply 19, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 975 times:
Neither Al Qaeda nor ETA would choose an empty building for a terrorist attack
doesn't ETA ussualy go to some measure to not actauly kill anyone? I agree about Al Queda.
SSTjumbo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 884 times:
I just saw the details on the news, and the pictures don't do the whole event justice. You have to see the video to appreciate the severity of the flames. I also saw a video flyby of it today, and though most of the height is intact, most of the building is definately a total loss, looks more like a burnt oak tree than a building at this point. I have to wonder what type of insulation was between the floors.
JetJock22 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (8 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 881 times:
Did anyone ever see that movie, The Towering Inferno? Wildly unbelieveable, but one of my favorite movies. 1970's disaster flicks don't get much better than that
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