Man Dies After Flames Hit Prestigious British School In Madrid

The prestigious British schoolhouse King’s College successful Soto de Viñuelas, Tres Cantos, Madrid, which hosts world students, has been affected by a wildfire that swept done parts of nan municipality, sidesplitting a man who suffered terrible burns astatine his home.

“When I arrived, nan occurrence was down nan field, astir 500 metres from nan nearest house,” neighbour Lisandro Vázquez told Euro Weekly News.

One of nan 2 churches successful Tres Cantos pinch nan occurrence successful nan background. Credit: Santi Carneri / Euro Weekly News

A man died aft suffering burns to 98 per cent of his body; he was airlifted to La Paz infirmary successful Madrid, wherever he later died, authorities confirmed. The blaze, which started connected Monday August 11 astatine 7.45pm successful Tres Cantos, was almost afloat extinguished by Tuesday August 12.

Flames closing in

As nan 50,000 residents of Tres Cantos, a metropolis half an hr from Madrid, saw flames closing in, emergency services worked to evacuate adjacent homes. Hundreds were forced to time off ample detached houses arsenic nan occurrence reached their streets.

“Suddenly, nan upwind turned dramatically. It was crazy — fume was each astir america and breathing became difficult. I called my mother and said, ‘Let’s get retired of present now’,” Lisandro recalled.

Fanned by winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour, nan flames dispersed complete 10 kilometres from their starting point, pinch some occurrence and fume visible from crossed Madrid.

The occurrence reached King’s College

By astir 8pm, nan occurrence had reached nan King’s College field successful Soto de Viñuelas. The school, 1 of Spain’s astir renowned British institutions and offering boarding for students aged 11 to 18, sustained partial damage, according to Carlos Novillo, Madrid’s location Environment minister, though nan afloat grade of nan structural effect is not yet known.

Fortunately, nan residence was quiet for nan summertime break and nary horses were successful nan stables. The boarding school, which has hosted nan children of diplomats and business leaders, was vacant erstwhile nan occurrence began.

“We started getting messages. My parents were fine, they were evacuated, and my relative went to his boyfriend’s house. Our building was saved by a hairsbreadth — and truthful was nan school,” erstwhile student Raúl Morales told Euro Weekly News.

Founded successful 1978

Founded successful 1969 by Sir Roger Fry, King’s College first opened successful Madrid’s Chamartín territory pinch conscionable 70 pupils. In 1978 it moved to its existent 12-hectare tract successful Soto de Viñuelas, adjacent nan Guadarrama mountains, expanding accommodation and cementing its estimation arsenic 1 of nan starring British schools successful Spain.

In 2011, Tenbury House — a boarding residence for 60 to 70 students — opened. It offers rooms pinch en-suite bathrooms, underfloor heating, a eating hall, study areas and leisure spaces. Boarding life is designed to foster a close-knit, multicultural community, pinch galore pupils surviving acold from their families during nan world year.

Today, the schoolhouse has complete 1,600 students from 20 months to 18 years old, covering each stages of nan UK nationalist curriculum. Pupils hole for IGCSEs, A-Levels and nan International Baccalaureate (IB), pinch results that unfastened doors to universities specified arsenic Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard. King’s College is portion of nan King’s Group, which belongs to nan Inspired acquisition web pinch schools successful respective countries.