A large fire broke out late this afternoon at a pallet manufacturing facility in the Valle de Güímar Industrial Estate in Tenerife, sending a towering column of smoke into the sky and forcing the closure of the TF-1 motorway in both directions.
One person has been reported injured in the incident, which also affected a neighbouring food storage warehouse.
According to Francisco Alonso, the Cabildo Councillor for Security, the fire spread rapidly from the original site to the adjacent facility, with residents reporting several loud explosions from within the complex.
The fire is believed to have started at approximately 7:00p.m. in a warehouse where large stacks of highly flammable wooden pallets were being stored.
The Canary Islands Emergency and Security Coordination Centre (CECOES) confirmed the incident shortly afterwards, alerting the public to the dense smoke crossing the motorway and causing visibility problems for drivers. Concerned residents and drivers have shared numerous videos on social media showing the scale of the fire and smoke.
In response, the Tenerife Fire and Rescue Consortium deployed five professional fire crews, supported by volunteer firefighters and Brifor forest brigade personnel. Road Maintenance Services from the Cabildo were also on standby to assist if necessary.
Additional emergency support was provided by units from the Guardia Civil, the Local Police forces of Candelaria and Güímar, Civil Protection teams, and two ambulances, which were stationed at the scene as a precaution.
The closure of the TF-1 caused significant traffic delays throughout the evening. Local Police also blocked access to the industrial estate's side road to ensure emergency crews could operate without obstruction.
In the wake of the fire, Candelaria Town Hall urged nearby residents to keep windows and doors closed to avoid smoke inhalation, and to avoid travel in the affected area due to the smoke. Authorities have appealed for public caution and cooperation as firefighting teams continue their efforts to fully extinguish and control the blaze.
