The protest, under the slogan "More safety, more firefighters," will take place this Friday, August 14th, at 7:00 PM in Plaza de Austria, near the Casa de la Cultura in Arroyo de la Miel. Sofía Prado, a representative for the affected residents, has called for community support for the demonstration.
The main demand focuses on reinforcing the Fire Department's staff, which currently has shifts with only three firefighters and one corporal. According to Prado, this staffing level is insufficient to handle large-scale fires and simultaneously perform extinction and rescue operations, while acknowledging the "laudable and magnificent" actions of the professionals who responded to the tragedy.
“"With three people, you cannot put out a tremendous, colossal fire and save lives at the same time."
Concurrently, the Benalmádena City Council has announced the expansion to 13 positions for its Fire Department reinforcement program, adding four new positions approved in the General Negotiation Board. This announcement coincides with the residents' mobilization and prior criticisms regarding the slow pace of selection processes and the average age of the staff.
The affected parties emphasize that the call for more resources aims to improve safety throughout the municipality, warning that a similar emergency could occur in other residential buildings on the Benalmádena coast. Prado also noted that the City Council has not contacted the affected residents since the incident.
One of the residents, whose home originated the fire, lamented having "lost everything" and suffered burns. He and his family are also demanding an increase in the number of firefighters in Benalmádena, a request now joining the residents' street protest.
