Overview
- A fire that began in the ground-floor Le Grand Café early on Monday, May 25, rapidly consumed the café and spread into the attached Ibis hotel, forcing the evacuation of more than 100 guests.
- Fire crews deployed ladder trucks, engines and water tankers and worked through the night to bring the blaze under control by Tuesday morning, May 26, while teams continue cooling operations at the scene.
- Malaga City Council confirmed both the Ibis building and Le Grand Café were completely destroyed and officials reported no injuries or need for emergency medical treatment.
- Fire supervisors said the restaurant's wooden decor and interior acoustic mats produced intense heat that helped the fire spread quickly and the scientific police will examine the site once it is safe.
- The blaze sent a large smoke plume across the city, closed the Santo Domingo tunnel during the response, and left staff and local hospitality workers facing immediate job and economic uncertainty as recovery plans are prepared.