Large fire destroys 42 tents at Ceuta migrant settlement
A large fire tore through a makeshift migrant camp in Ceuta's Tarajal Industrial Estate overnight, forcing residents to flee as flames engulfed dozens of tents. The blaze destroyed around 42 tents but caused no injuries, with firefighters bringing it under control after nearly two hours; authorities believe an unattended campfire was the likely cause, though the investigation continues. The fire highlights the precarious conditions facing thousands of migrants still living in shanty towns across the Spanish enclave weeks after a mass border crossing.
The camp housed migrants who entered Ceuta illegally on 30 July, part of a wave in which around 70,000 people crossed from Morocco, sparking a humanitarian crisis. While most have since returned to Morocco, between 3,500 and 7,000 remain, sleeping rough on beaches and playgrounds amid reports of violence and unrest. Ceuta's regional president, Juan Jesus Vivas, has called the territory a "pressure cooker" and urged the EU to boost border support, while accusing Morocco of complicity; Spain's top criminal court has also opened an investigation into the crossing, and declassified documents show intelligence agencies had warned of the influx beforehand.
- Fire destroyed 42 migrant tents in Ceuta camp; no injuries reported
- Follows mass July crossing of 70,000 migrants into Spanish enclave
- Ceuta's leader calls situation a "pressure cooker", seeks more EU aid