Santa Lucía Hospital in Cartagena has returned to normal activity after a fire on Wednesday that forced the evacuation of 113 patients from four floors. No one was injured. The Emergency Department and Outpatient Clinic resumed service on Wednesday afternoon, although seven scheduled surgeries were postponed. The laboratory on the second floor of Block Five was damaged and its services were interrupted, while the ground-floor Dialysis unit avoided smoke infiltration.

Investigators have discovered non-conductive polyurethane insulation within the building’s façade and are probing whether that material helped the blaze spread rapidly along Block Five. The hospital, part of the Area II Health Centre which opened in 2011, passed its most recent health authorisation renewal in May 2025, including fire protection and evacuation checks. Officials say façades included fire-resistant stone, steel and aluminium composite panels, but the insulating layer has raised concerns because the same material was present in the Campanar building destroyed in Valencia in February 2024.

The Regional Ministry of Health has ordered a full technical study of Area Two to gather detailed building information and assess any additional safety measures required. Ambulance teams transferred patients and Rosell Hospital managed care for around 80% of those moved, with transfers based on medical criteria and reinforced staffing. Staff have said a fire drill the week before helped ensure a rapid, coordinated response while investigators continue to examine the cause, including the possibility of a smouldering cigarette.