Costa Blanca
Alicante fireworks fire update – one dead, four injured

Firefighters have found the lifeless body of the pyrotechnician from Alicante Pedro Luis Sirvent inside his workshop, located in the Fontcalent area of Alicante, after a tragic explosion that occurred on Thursday morning for reasons that are still being investigated. The incident also caused four injuries, one of them seriously, with burns on 80% of his body, according to emergency services sources.
One of the injured is the son of the pyrotechnic artist and has suffered an anxiety attack, for which he has been treated at the scene of the tragedy. A 43-year-old woman has been taken by ambulance to the General Hospital of Alicante for anxiety attacks and mild smoke inhalation. The most seriously injured person, a 68-year-old man, has been transferred by helicopter to the Burns Unit of the La Fe hospital in Valencia.
The incident occurred at around 11.20 am, when, for reasons still to be clarified, a fire broke out in the warehouse area, where the material for the shows is sold to the public and stored. The Alicante Local Police were the first to arrive at the workshop. With the building still on fire, municipal security officers went in to rescue the victims, explained the mayor himself, Luis Barcala. The mayor was “very dismayed”, since Pedro Luis Sirvent was a very popular man at the Hogueras de San Juan.
Along with numerous emergency teams, police officers from the homicide, judicial, and explosives units (Tedax) have assembled in the area. Both José María Conesa, the top official of the Local Police of Alicante, and Manuel Lafuente, the provincial commissioner of the National Police, have visited the scene of the events.
Soon after, they were joined by the President of the Federació de Fogueres, David Olivares, the Bellea del Foc, Alba Muñoz, the Mayor of Alicante, Luis Barcala, the Councillor for Security, Julio Calero, and the Sub-delegate of the Government in Alicante, Juan Antonio Nieves, among other officials. Two helicopters, one of which was medicalised, two ambulances, and basic life support (SVB) were sent to the scene. Additionally present were firefighters from the Prevention, Extinction of Fires and Rescue Service (Speis) of Alicante and the Provincial Consortium of the Diputación, who used a drone to collect more accurate data on the explosion’s consequences.
To keep the fire from spreading to the location where the fireworks were being made, which is across the workshop’s central courtyard, firefighters have roped off the area.
The Fire Brigade has requested a temporary suspension of the Alicante-Madrid AVE line since the explosion caused some pyrotechnics to fly onto the railway lines. Train traffic had returned at 3:25 p.m.
As a show of unity, the Federació de Fogueres has halted all celebrations this Thursday and Friday. Additionally, the festive organisation has expressed the institutional aim of the Bellesses del Foc and their Dames d’Honor. David Olivares, the president, has visited Fontcalent to personally observe the dire circumstances.
Over 100 emergency workers participated in the effort, which illustrates the tragedy’s scope.
See the earlier story here https://costablancadaily.com/2025/03/06/a-fire-at-a-pyrotechnics-factory-injures-two/
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Costa Blanca
Aena closed the first quarter of 2025 with a profit of 301.3 million euros

Aena’s net profit for the first quarter of 2025 was €301.3 million, which represents an increase from €261 million in the same period of the previous year. The gross operating profit was €643.6 million, with a margin of 48.6%. In comparison to 2024 (€581.1 million), this figure indicates a 10.8% increase.
The total consolidated revenue for the first quarter of 2025 was €1,325.6 million, a 7.5% increase from the same period in the previous year. Aeronautical revenue was €683.6 million, while commercial revenue was €441.1 million.
The Brazilian Airports Block (BOAB) consolidation generates €46.8 million in revenue and €25.7 million in EBITDA. The Aena Group (Spain, London-Luton, and Aena Brazil) expanded its passenger traffic to 78.3 million, a 4.9% increase from 2024.
The number of passengers at Spanish airports increased by 4.7%, reaching 63.6 million. The timing of Easter, which occurred in March last year and April this year, as well as the fact that last year was a leap year, has an impact on the comparative figures with the same period in 2024.
Investments
The investment, which totalled 203.1 million euros between January and March 2025, was primarily directed towards the enhancement of operational safety and airport facilities.
In the first quarter of 2025, Aena Group’s OPEX, which encompasses procurement, personnel, and other operating expenses, increased to €691.9 million from €659.9 million in the same period of 2024. The evolution of these expenses is indicative of the group’s personnel expenses (+10.7%) and the Spanish network’s expenses for items such as electricity (+22.4%), maintenance (+9.5%), and security (+8.3%).
The year-on-year increase in other operating expenses at the Spanish airport network was €17.1 million, which is 4.7% higher than the corresponding period from January to March 2024, excluding the impact of energy. The consolidated group’s net financial debt-to-EBITDA ratio decreased to 1.37 times from €5,498 million for the full year 2024, as the Aena Group’s consolidated accounting net financial debt stood at €4,886 million.
The first quarter of 2025 saw solid cash generation. The net cash generated from operating activities increased to €820.4 million from €723.7 million in the first quarter of 2024.
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Costa Blanca
Luxury in El Campello: Balinese beds on the beaches

The beaches of El Campello are about to experience a new level of luxury. The City Council’s Department of Beaches and Tourism Infrastructure has granted concessionaires the authority to construct “Balinese beds” on the sand, which are relaxing elements that “add value to the beaches.” This includes the rental of sun loungers and umbrellas on the beaches.
In a statement, the City Council clarifies that the authorisation, which is available to all concessionaires, is always contingent upon the fact that the installation of these elements “does not entail expanding the space granted to them” to install hammocks.
According to the City Council, which is led by Rafa Galvañ, concessionaires who desire to provide these beds, which are typically constructed from wood and are resistant to coastal environmental conditions, may do so without expanding the designated area.
To date, two of these regions have adopted the proposal and have installed Balinese beds in Muchavista that are waterproof, sun-resistant, and simple to clean. These beds are equipped with white side curtains and a custom-made roof that is suitable for machine washing. They have also been treated with fire-retardant and antibacterial components.
The dimensions are 200 centimetres in width, 182 centimetres in depth, and 210 centimetres in height. This furniture is intended to set it apart from other beaches and highlight the sun lounger and umbrella service area, thereby imbuing it with elegance and personality.
Hammock and umbrella dealers must submit a specific request to the City Council to construct these beds. This request must include technical specifications and catalogues of the materials they intend to use.
However, what is the cost? According to the same sources, the concessionaire that commissioned the infrastructure in Muchavista charges €21 per day for two hammocks and a parasol, while a Balinese bed that accommodates three individuals costs €50 per day.
Furthermore, one should consider midday rentals, which would restrict the use and enjoyment of these relaxation facilities to approximately 25-30 euros.
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Costa Blanca
El Corte Inglés in Alicante now offers sign language services

With the implementation of the SVISUAL sign language video interpretation service, El Corte Inglés in Alicante has made a significant stride towards inclusivity. This service is intended for deaf users of the language. The event presenter clarified that this initiative “reinforces its commitment to service and accessibility so that everyone can receive quality care.” This system was initially introduced in Murcia and has since been implemented in Cartagena, Valencia, and Castellón. It has been further expanded to include Alicante and Elche, thereby concluding its implementation throughout the Valencian Community.
The significance of partnerships in facilitating this advancement was underscored by Santiago Sánchez, the Communications Director of El Corte Inglés Murcia. “This project was initiated as a pilot project in Murcia nearly two years ago, and we have been gradually expanding its implementation throughout the Valencian Community, thanks to the National Confederation of the Deaf’s collaboration and the Regional Office of El Corte Inglés in Levante’s dedication.” He also announced its imminent extension to Castilla-La Mancha. He also underscored that it is “a source of pride that from now on, anyone who visits El Corte Inglés and requires the assistance of a sign language interpreter will have it.”
Carolina García, president of the Federation of the Deaf in the Valencian Community, participated in the presentation to emphasise the recognition of sign language. She stated, “Article 13.4 explicitly states that sign language is the language of deaf people, was created by deaf people, and should be the object of care, respect, and value.” García expressed gratitude to El Corte Inglés for its dedication, describing it as “a perfect example of this accessibility achieved” and expressing his hope that “other companies will follow El Corte Inglés’ example to make their various areas accessible.”
Lidia López, the Councillor for Social Welfare of the Alicante City Council, also attended the event. She emphasised the significance of companies such as El Corte Inglés taking such significant actions, which, as she stated, “eliminate all types of barriers and serve as an example to other companies in the municipality of Alicante and, consequently, in other provinces.”
Employees of El Corte Inglés have received training to comprehend individuals with hearing impairments and use the app embedded on their tablets to communicate with interpreters. The CNS Foundation for the Removal of Communication Barriers, the Federation of the Deaf of the Valencian Community, and El Corte Inglés are collaborating to implement this initiative.
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