Everything was planned to be a weekend of celebration and joy Guillenaa town of just over 10,000 inhabitants Sevilleuntil tragedy took over this Sunday. Deadly fire burned Rendón Hidalgo family home until we finish with the four people who rested inside: José Antonio, father; Antonia, mother; José Antonio, eldest son; and Adrián, the youngest son. All known and “much loved” by their neighbors, who couldn’t believe what had happened.
“How was it?”was one of the most repeated comments this morning, after the event, in the square. The main hypothesis with which Civil Guard investigators are currently working, as they have been able to verify SPANISHit’s battery overload an electric scooter. This, located by the authorities on the first floor of the family home, could have caused the fateful incidentin the absence of official confirmation from the specialists of the armed institute.
The consternation was palpable from the morning but also at nightfall. The neighbors continued to comment on the events, their faces sad and their eyes red with tears. The house, located in the Fernando Martin Streetwas surrounded by the Civil Guard, and from the door you could see the extent of the disaster. The walls blackened by smoke and the smell of burning highlighted the scale of the fire which fortunately did not affect neighboring homes.
Family calls for help They woke up a large part of the neighborhood. Many ran into the streets hoping they could help. Despite the efforts of some residents, who used ladders, hoses and even a fire extinguisher to try to control the flames, they couldn’t do anything. Two civil guards, using a radio, managed to break down the door that gave access to the terrace, but the thick smoke and the speed with which the fire spread prevented them from entering.
“We did everything possible, we used all possible means”a tearful neighbor commented to EL ESPAÑOL. Other people present confirmed that they tried to break the bars on the windows of the house to make it easier for the family to escape. But nothing would have helped. The fire had already consumed much of the structure.
Time, implacable enemy
The fire broke out around 7:40 a.m.. According to Guillena Mayor Lorenzo Medina, firefighters arrived in 17 minutes, coming from El Ronquillo and Santiponce parks. However, some neighbors claim that the waiting time was much longer, pointing out that “it took over 40 minutes” upon arriving. “Until 8:30 a.m., no one arrived except the Civil Guard,” they commented, visibly frustrated.
Despite the intervention of the emergency services, the fire did not stop. Flames and black smoke quickly engulfed the home, trapping the family upstairs. The bars on the windows And a locked door They stopped them from escaping via the terrace. The wooden stair railing helped the fire spread from the ground floor to the rest of the house. By the time the firefighters managed to enter, it was already too late.
All four family members were found dead. Three of them were completely charred and although attempts were made to resuscitate the fourth, these efforts were in vain. The only survivor of the fire was the dog of the family, who was on a terrace inaccessible to the flames. A neighbor looked after him after the rescue.
Saturday party
The town of Guillena celebrated its Candle of the Virgin of Pilara festive event that brings together a large part of the local community. Parents and children participated in Saturday’s activities and returned home around two in the morning. The youngest child, Adrián, had attended the opening of a nightclub in the city, where he met friends and other young people from the city. Many of them, dismayed, approached the house of the Rendon Hidalgo after discovering the fire.
“If it had been during the week, perhaps the tragedy would have been avoided”some neighbors commented, remembering that José Antonio and Antonia, the parents, got up at two in the morning to work in their fruit stand in Mercasevilla. José Antonio, known as “el Gordi”, was very appreciated in the villages of the province for his kindness and affable character. Accompanied by his wife Toñi, They worked together in the family business. In addition, Toñi was a catechist for many years in the parish of Guillena.
Your children, José-Antonio And Adrienaged 21 and 16, were also known in the town. The eldest, who worked in the family business, used to spend time in Seville with his girlfriend, but decided to spend the night in Guillena. Adrián, for his part, was passionate about Real Betis and was active on social media, where he shared his fervor for the green and white team. This Sunday, by coincidence, was the birthday of his girlfriend, to whom he had promised to attend the Seville derby at the stadium of eternal rival, Sevilla FC.
Three days of mourning
The Guillena municipal council decreed three days of official mourning. Flags will be at half-mast in all public buildings and the pilgrimage to Nuestra Señora del Pilar, scheduled for next weekend, has been suspended as a sign of mourning. The funeral will take place this Monday at 7:00 p.m. It will be at the municipal pavilion, since the local funeral home does not have enough capacity to accommodate the four deceased together.
Condition of the house at the end of the afternoon.
The pain in Guillena is notable. The sudden void left by the loss of such a beloved family has left a community that until recently celebrated in mourning. The tragedy that marked this weekend will remain etched in the memory of the people, who will not forget the fateful Sunday in which they lost the Rendón Hidalgo family.
