Dozens of people were evacuated from their homes in Benalmadena on Thursday following the break out of a forest fire.
The inferno took hold along the Carretera del Sol in the early hours of the morning, forcing the preventive removal of around 90 residents.
The Cercanias C-1 train line between Fuengirola and Benalmadena also had to be halted after the fire spread to the tracks.
Fortunately, within hours, the blaze was brought under control and the train line was restored by the afternoon.
The Carretera del Sol remains closed to traffic while emergency teams continue to extinguish hotspots.
The fire also caused the rupture of around 200 metres of sewage piping, spilling wastewater onto Torremuelle beach.
The council has closed access to the area and banned bathing until further notice. Water company Emabesa has begun repairs, but works are expected to take several days.
The blaze was reported at around 2.30am, according to local fire chief David Bañasco.
Strong westerly winds helped the flames spread from the Carretera del Sol into the Torremuelle coastal area.
Several homes in the Finca Casablanca and Torremuelle developments were evacuated, with residents temporarily housed in the Benalma Hotel and the town’s sports hall.
Mayor Juan Antonio Lara declared a municipal emergency plan at around 3am.
No injuries were reported, though one firefighter sustained a minor work-related accident.
A command post remains active in the area, supported by emergency medical teams, Infoca units, Civil Protection, and municipal services. A helicopter was later deployed to reinforce firefighting efforts from the air.
Dozens of firefighters from Benalmadena, Infoca, the provincial consortium, and nearby towns including Torremolinos, Marbella, Fuengirola, and Malaga joined the operation.
By mid-morning, with the situation under control, many of the reinforcements were able to stand down, while teams on the ground continued with cooling operations. Local and national police, along with Civil Protection volunteers, remain on site.
The council stressed in a statement: ‘Resources have been sufficient and properly allocated to respond to the fire. No personal injuries have occurred beyond one minor incident.’
Read more Costa del Sol news at the Spanish Eye.
