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Santa Lucía Hospital had polyurethane cladding in its walls, like in fatal Valencia tower fire
A day after the fire, health services have returned to normal in the Cartagena hospital, although investigations are turning up potentially worrying safety factors
Santa Lucía Hospital in Cartagena is returning to normal activity following this Wednesday’s fire, with the Regional Ministry of Health confirming that the hospital complex is expected to operate calmly and without incident today.
However, investigators looking into the cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding its rapid spread are worried that the presence of polyurethane cladding in the outer walls of the hospital may have been a fire risk.
IN PHOTOS: What Santa Lucía Hospital looks like now
The blaze, which spread rapidly along the façade of Block 5, mainly affected inpatient units on the third floor and above. Although the fire was largely external, heat blew out several windows and forced the evacuation of 113 patients across four floors.
Municipal firefighters later inspected essential utility systems, including the oxygen supply lines, to ensure internal safety.
The laboratory on the second floor of Block 5 sustained damage and its services were interrupted. The Dialysis unit, located on the ground floor, avoided smoke infiltration. While seven surgeries had to be postponed, other hospital services resumed on Wednesday afternoon, including the Emergency Department and Outpatient Clinic.
The incident coincided with a peak period of staff movement and early patient arrivals, complicating the initial response.
Throughout the morning and into midday yesterday, ambulance teams transferred patients from smoke-affected units. Those who could remain safely at Santa Lucía did so, while others were taken to Cartagena’s other main hospital, Rosell.
According to the Health Department, Rosell was able to care for around 80% of the transferred patients, including those from oncology and haematology departments. Officials stressed that all transfers were based on medical criteria and that affected patients continue to receive specialist care with reinforced staffing levels.
Not one single person was deemed to have suffered injury from the fire, something of a miracle given the extent of the blaze.
What investigations have turned up so far
In response to the fire, the Regional Ministry of Health has ordered a full technical study of the Area II Health Centre, which includes Santa Lucía Hospital. The aim is to gather detailed information about the building, which opened in 2011, and to determine whether additional safety improvements are required.
The Ministry maintains that the hospital complies with regulations, noting that it passed its most recent health authorisation renewal in May 2025, including fire protection and evacuation measures.
Officials state that the façades and roofs were built with fire-resistant stone, steel and aluminium composite materials, which they say helped to slow the fire’s penetration into the interior of the building.
However, non-conductive polyurethane cladding was used as an insulating layer of the building façade, the same material that was present in the Campanar residential building that was destroyed in the Valencia fire in February 2024, which took 10 lives.
This finding will prompt investigators to question whether the building really was as safe as claimed and whether it should have passed its fire safety tests. Under the microscope will be the question of whether the polyurethane cladding was responsible for the rapid spread of the fire, initially attributed to high winds on the day.
As for the cause of the fire, one of the main initial hypotheses investigators are looking into is the possibility that it was started by a cigarette that hadn’t been put out properly.
Smoking is prohibited in the entire hospital grounds, even outside the building, but these rules are regularly flouted, according to hospital staff, who say they fight a constant battle with smokers getting them to stop lighting up near the hospital.
Staff carried out a fire drill just a week earlier
Staff at Santa Lucía had carried out a fire drill only a week prior to the incident. According to Marieta Piqueras, the CESM Medical Union representative, this dress rehearsal played a key role in ensuring a rapid and coordinated response.
She noted that although the flames caused considerable alarm among staff and patients, the hospital personnel’s swift action prevented the problem from spreading to other departments.
Images: Felipe G. Pagán/Ayuntamiento de Cartagena
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