A severe cold snap gripping Spain may have claimed its first victim after a homeless man was found dead in the middle of a street.
The man, described as middle-aged, was found at around 2pm unresponsive at the entrance to a car park in Badalona, near Barcelona, on Tuesday.
It came as the majority of the country, including Andalucia, was placed on a series of alerts for sub-zero temperatures over Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
The case has been placed under judicial secrecy and a forensic examination will now determine the exact cause of death.
The incident has sparked political fallout in the city after Aïda Llauradó, head of the Badalona En Comú group, publicly denounced the death and said she had not received clear information about the council’s cold-weather emergency measures.
In a post on X, she laid responsibility at the door of mayor Xavier García Albiol, accusing the local government of failing to adequately protect people sleeping rough.
Social organisations and opposition parties in Badalona have also criticised the city’s response to the cold snap. A municipal sports hall was opened on Sunday night as an emergency shelter, but campaigners claim it was not properly equipped.
Following the backlash, Badalona City Council confirmed that around 20 beds have since been installed in the space, with support from the Red Cross.
Opposition parties argue that, despite the announcement of the shelter, many homeless people have remained completely exposed to the elements during the coldest days of winter. This includes individuals sleeping beneath a motorway bridge after the eviction of the former B9 institute building.
The death has renewed pressure on local authorities to review emergency housing provision during extreme weather, particularly as sub-zero conditions persist.
Read more Spain news at the Spanish Eye.
