The owners of the fire-ravaged Ibis hotel in Malaga have been ordered to implement urgent safety measures amid fears of a collapse.

The required measures include fencing off the perimeter of the building, sealing façade openings to stop people entering, clearing debris from the ground-floor commercial premises in the southern section and reinforcing the structure as debris removal progresses.

It comes after the Urban Planning Department technicians entered the site on Wednesday accompanied by firefighters, who identified which sections could safely be inspected.

According to the first technical report issued by the council, inspectors found no structural damage in the basement area of the building’s northern section.

However, authorities confirmed a partial collapse of part of the first-floor.

Elsewhere in the inspected areas, damage was mainly limited to cladding and installations, while the main structure does not currently appear unstable.

The southern side of the building has so far only been inspected at ground-floor level because the remaining floors remain inaccessible due to fire debris.

Initial findings suggest the structure may have resisted more serious collapse thanks to protective coatings on the building.

However, inspectors also identified several bulging sections on the façade caused by heat expansion in the brickwork, creating a risk of falling debris onto public streets.

As a result, the city council has ordered the property owners to immediately adopt protective measures under the supervision of qualified technical personnel.

Authorities have also ordered constant security surveillance of the building until it can be fully sealed off to prevent trespassing or vandalism.

Once all required works have been completed, the owners must notify Malaga’s Urban Planning Department and submit the relevant completion certificates for inspection.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.