Chaos erupted on Marbella’s El Cable beach on Wednesday after a car burst into flames in the parking area – igniting a chain reaction that torched several vehicles and sent thick plumes of smoke billowing into the air.
The fire, which broke out shortly after a vehicle became stuck in the sand and attempted to rejoin the road, spread rapidly to adjacent cars.
The exact cause of the ignition remains under investigation, but within minutes, what began as a routine mishap had escalated into a full-blown inferno.
Onlookers – a mix of beachgoers, tourists, and local residents – watched helplessly as the flames consumed nearby vehicles.
Many stood in stunned silence, some reportedly in tears, as the blaze roared through the lot just metres from the popular stretch of sand.
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Emergency services responded quickly. Marbella’s Fire Brigade arrived within minutes, moving fast to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading further along the car park or towards the beach.
Despite the dramatic scenes and the destruction of multiple vehicles, authorities later confirmed that no one was seriously injured, and the situation was brought under control with impressive speed.
Witnesses praised the firefighters’ swift and composed response, which likely averted a much larger disaster in such a densely packed area.
An investigation into the cause of the initial fire continues.
