Human Interest Real People Real People Tragedy 10 People Killed in Nursing Home Fire 'Due to Smoke Inhalation,' Say Authorities The incident happened around 5 a.m. local time at a nursing home in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in northern Spain By Gabrielle Rockson Gabrielle Rockson Gabrielle Rockson is a staff writer-reporter for PEOPLE. She joined PEOPLE in 2023 and covers entertainment and human interest stories. She's interviewed David Beckham, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet and many others. Her previous work can be found in OK! Magazine, MyLondon, GRM Daily, and more. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 15, 2024 12:10PM EST Comments Ten people have died in a fire at a nursing home in north-eastern Spain. On Friday, Nov. 15, the head of the regional government of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, confirmed that the deaths occurred in the early hours of the morning in the Villafranca de Ebro nursing home. “In honor of their memory, I have to first declare official mourning in the Autonomous Community of Aragon for one day,” he wrote in Spanish on X (formerly known as Twitter). “The mourning will begin at midnight on November 16 and end at midnight on November 17.” He added, “Second, during mourning, official flags in public buildings of the Autonomous Community of Aragon will fly at half-mast.” Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Villafranca de Ebro, Zaragoza province, Spain. JAVIER CEBOLLADA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Mom and Her 4 Children Found Dead After ‘Suspicious’ House Fire, as Criminal Investigation Underway According to the BBC, local officials said that 82 people were living in the nursing home when the fire broke out at 5 a.m. local time and that two had been taken to the hospital. Spanish outlet Diario Sur reported that the town’s mayor, Volga Ramírez Gamiz, confirmed the two were in critical condition. Per the BBC, the home opened as a retirement home 16 years ago and had since moved towards providing care for people with dementia and mental health problems. Emergency vehicles at the nursing home in Villafranca de Ebro, Spain. JAVIER CEBOLLADA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock "There are people from all walks of life, with many problems. Very young people, because there are people as young as 25 years old. In other words, we are not just talking about older people," Gamiz told reporters, per The Local es. The BBC reported that Gamiz told local radio station Cadena Ser that the deaths may have been caused by a mattress catching fire in a room. 2 Sets of Twin Boys Died Alone in House Fire While Their Mother Went Shopping: Prosecutors Despite the fire not spreading particularly far, the intensity of the smoke is believed to have caused the fatalities. “It is due to smoke inhalation,” Ramírez said, per CNN, “not because they were burned.” “Shocked by the tragedy that occurred this morning in a nursing home in Zaragoza,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote in Spanish on X. “I have just spoken with the President of Aragon, @Jorge_Azcon, to convey all my love and condolences to the families and colleagues of the deceased, to the workers of the center and to all the Aragonese." “I hope that those who are in serious condition recover as soon as possible,” he added.