Two trailer trucks caught fire this afternoon inside Mercapalma, generating a dense column of smoke visible from much of Palma. The airport has activated its emergency protocol, although no flights have been affected.
Two trailer trucks have burned this afternoon inside Mercapalma, the main wholesale market on the island. The fire, which started around 3:30 PM, generated a dense column of black smoke visible from numerous points in Palma and forced the activation of the emergency device at Son Sant Joan airport.
Multiple units from Bombers de Palma, Bombers de Mallorca, Aena personnel, and the Son Sant Joan Air Base have been dispatched to the scene. The initial priority was to prevent the flames from spreading to the adjacent industrial warehouses, where perishable products and packaging materials are stored.
A rapidly spreading fire
According to sources from the firefighting service, the fire started in one of the heavy vehicles parked in the loading and unloading area. The flames quickly jumped to the second trailer, parked next to the first, and threatened to spread to the fixed facilities of the site.
The firefighters attacked the fire both at ground level and from above, using aerial ladders to reach the highest points of the vehicles. Their main concern, they explained, was that the heat and sparks could reach the warehouses where fruits, vegetables, and other food products are stored.
Outside, local police officers from Palma have closed traffic at the entrances to Mercapalma to facilitate the arrival of emergency vehicles and prevent onlookers from approaching the disaster area.
The airport on alert
The enormous column of smoke, rising dozens of meters above the Son Castelló industrial estate, was spotted from the control tower of Palma airport. Immediately, Aena activated the emergency smoke protocol in the vicinity, although so far no flights have experienced delays or diversions.
Aeronautical sources have confirmed that operations are continuing normally, but the evolution of the fire is being monitored in case it becomes necessary to modify approach or departure paths. The proximity of Mercapalma to the threshold of runway 24L means that any dense column of smoke is a cause for alert.
For residents of nearby neighborhoods, such as Son Castelló or Son Oliva, the smoke has been visible and has caused some alarm. Some residents have called 112, which has confirmed that the fire is under control and poses no risk to the population.
An improvised command centre
Given the magnitude of the incident, firefighters have set up a command centre next to the facilities of a supermarket within the Mercapalma site. From there, the commanders coordinated the firefighting maneuvers and assessed the best strategy to prevent the fire from spreading.
The operation has included the collaboration of Mercapalma workers, who have helped clear nearby areas and remove vehicles that could be in danger. The rapid intervention has prevented the flames from reaching the main warehouses, where tons of food are stored.
This fire recalls the one in 2008 that devastated a fruit warehouse in the same industrial estate, although on that occasion the fire originated in a cold storage chamber and not in vehicles. The difference, according to firefighters, is that this time the rapid spread between the two trailers has generated a much denser and more visible smoke.
Extinguishing efforts continued past 5:00 PM, and firefighters are expected to remain in the area for several more hours to cool down the vehicles and ensure that no secondary hotspots remain. Traffic at the entrances to Mercapalma remains closed, so drivers are advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes.
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