A huge fire has ripped through two residential buildings in Valencia in Spain, with desperate residents escaping on to balconies where they were rescued by firefighters.
At least 13 people have been injured in the blaze which broke out in the city centre on Thursday evening.
Firefighters rushed to to help people inside the 14-storey buildings in the Campanar area of the port city as flames burst out of windows and a cloud of black smoke rose into the night sky.
Residents could be seen waiting for rescue on balconies, and firefighters used a crane to rescue two residents from one of the balconies.
Soldiers from Spain’s military emergency unit were deployed and medics set up a large tent to tend to the injured on the scene.
The fire began in the early evening and spread to an adjacent building, state news agency Efe has reported.
Initial emergency service reports said there were at least 13 people injured with fractures, burns and smoke inhalation. The 13 included six firefighters.
It was not immediately clear how many people were in the buildings or how many were rescued.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez posted on the X platform saying he was “shocked by the terrible fire in a building in Valencia“ adding that he had offered the city “all the help that is necessary.”
“I want to convey my solidarity to all the people affected and recognition to all the emergency personnel already deployed at the scene,” he said.