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New criminal probe into Murcia council over deadly nightclub fire
The courts have ordered a fresh investigation into the council’s role in the Teatre and Fonda Milagros tragedy
The investigation into the deadly nightclub fire in Murcia back in 2023 has taken a new turn after a judge ordered a separate criminal probe into the actions of the city council.
The blaze at the Teatre and Fonda Milagros nightclubs claimed the lives of 13 people and has already been the subject of a complex and lengthy court case. Now, the judge presiding over Court Number 3 in Murcia has ruled that preliminary proceedings should be opened to examine possible criminal responsibility linked to alleged administrative misconduct by local authorities and council officials.
The move follows months of legal wrangling over whether the council’s role should be examined separately from the main case.
Back in October, the Provincial Court of Murcia rejected the idea of opening an additional investigation after concluding that there was no direct connection to the manslaughter charges already under investigation.
That door may have closed but another has now opened. In a ruling this week, the investigating judge ordered that testimony be taken from those who filed complaints as private prosecutions. She also authorised the launch of a specific and independent criminal procedure focused on potential administrative prevarication.
According to lawyer José Manuel Muñoz Ortín, the court believes it’s necessary to take a close look at how the council acted in the run-up to the tragedy. This includes issues such as licences, inspections, safety controls and matters linked to urban planning and permitted activities.
He said these administrative decisions form part of the wider context before the fire and deserve to be analysed on their own merits. He also pointed out that this line of investigation had been repeatedly requested by the prosecution from the very early stages of the case.
“This is a milestone particularly valued by the families when it comes to determining responsibility, including institutional responsibility,” he added.
As well as opening this new avenue of investigation, the court has also agreed to extend the main inquiry into the fire itself. The deadline which was originally set for January 1 has now been pushed back by a further three months to April 1, 2026.
The judge justified the extension by pointing to the sheer complexity of the case. There are still key investigative steps to be completed and a large volume of material to work through before any final conclusions can be reached.
Image: Ayuntamiento de Murcia/José Ballesta
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