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Seven migrants die in Malaga police cell blaze

01 January 2003

Seven migrants from Maghreb countries died after suffering burns in a fire while they were in custody in a cell in Malaga police station on the evening of 27 December 2002. They were part of a group of 17 people detained in a 7 x 4.5 metre cell - with a view to being returned to Morocco - after their boat was intercepted 25 kilometres from Fuengirola and towed into Malaga. Police claim that the fire was started by the head of the expedition (one of the deceased) and two associates (including the boat owner, also deceased), who burned foam mattresses that had been provided, and subsequently prevented the other detainees from leaving the cell by obstructing the door. A number of issues have yet to be cleared-up, including how long it took police officers to open the cell, why they did not help to evacuate the cell, and why none of the available fire extinguishers were used. ATIME, the Association of Moroccan Immigrants in Spain, expressed its surprise that "the government simply blames a suspected member of an organised criminal gang and leaves aside its responsibility for the custody and evacuation of detainees". Local NGO Malaga Acoge filed a complaint with the ombudsman (Defensor del Pueblo) for Andalusia, Juan Chamizo, and relatives of the victims also filed a lawsuit. Investigations into the fire failed to attribute any responsibility to police authorities.
El País, 2.1.02, 3.1.02, 8.1.02.