Firefighters estimate warehouse fire will be out 'in a few days' 

The fire that engulfed the Cleanwater Pool warehouse on Saturday, and prompted a shelter-in-place order for 150,000 residents in Catalonia’s Penedès region, will take “a few days” to be fully extinguished, according to firefighters at the scene.

“We will be supervising it for days,” said David Borell, managing director of Catalonia’s fire department, in a statement to Catalan media on Sunday. He added that efforts are underway to “regain normality” in the industrial area of Vilanova i la Geltrú, where the fire broke out.

The blaze was brought under control at 6:30 pm on Saturday, five hours after the shelter-in-place order had been lifted in Vilanova, Cubelles, Cunit, Calafell, and Roquetes.

While there is no longer a health risk for residents, the warehouse is now at risk of collapse. However, chief firefighter Joan Josep Bellostas noted that the general structure of the warehouse “should be stable.”

Firefighters are expected to begin the cleanup effort of the inside of the warehouse on Monday.

Bellostas added that around 30% of the material inside the warehouse had been left unaffected by the fire.

Saturday’s fire

The initial fire broke out around 2:20 am on Saturday, and at 5:30 am, the Civil Protection Services issued a shelter-in-place order in the municipalities of Vilanova i la Geltrú, Roquetes de Sant Pere de Ribes, Cubelles, Cunit, and Calafell.

The warehouse contained 70 tonnes of chlorine, resulting in the release of a significant chemical cloud.

The fire caused disruptions on motorways C-15 and C-31 near Vilanova and on the Renfe R2 Sud train line.

"Highly precautionary" measures

On Saturday, the deputy director of the Civil Protection Services, Imma Solé, called the confinement measure “highly precautionary” and reassured that there is no cause for alarm.

“A total disaster”

On Saturday, the owner of the warehouse, Jorge Viñuales, called the fire “a total disaster.”

He also stressed that his company, Cleanwater Pool, which stored pool cleaning products in the warehouse, had all the necessary licenses in order before the incident.

“The most important thing now is to find the cause of the fire,” said Viñuales, adding that the situation is “not pleasant” for anyone, as the company “now has to halt all operations during a crucial period” for the pool cleaning season.