A firefighter lost his life on Thursday afternoon while battling a wildfire in Paüls, located in southern Catalonia.
The incident occurred at around 2.15pm, when the firefighter reportedly fell from a height of over 20 metres. According to Joan Rovira, head of the intervention team, the firefighter had been sitting on a large rock that gave way beneath him, sending him over the edge. Rovira provided the details in a media briefing at 8pm.
‘All worries related to the fire are now less important,’ he said, as the firefighting community mourned the passing of Antonio Serrano, a 46-year-old firefighter assigned to the Granollers station, just north of Barcelona.
Serrano had been waiting for water to arrive in order to tackle smoke coming from a tree when the fatal accident happened. He was part of the Catalan fire service’s ‘Active Prevention Team’ (EPAF), responsible for clearing vegetation and identifying and cooling burned zones.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the exact circumstances that led to his fall, as noted in a statement released by the Catalan fire brigade.
Emergency personnel on site responded immediately, and a medical helicopter was dispatched. Serrano sustained critical injuries and was transported to the Verge de la Cinta hospital in Tortosa, where he later died.
The wildfire in Paüls was declared under control at 11pm on Thursday, after burning since Monday at midday, affecting 3,321 hectares.
Throughout the week, the fire had prompted lockdowns and stay-at-home orders in multiple towns near the Ports Natural Park, including Paüls, Aldover, Xerta and parts of Tortosa. Residents of Baix Ebre, who had spent days watching the fire creep towards their homes, finally saw signs of improvement on Wednesday afternoon, when authorities said the blaze was more stabilised.
Firefighters will continue monitoring the fire for the next 72 hours before declaring it totally extinguished. During Thursday night, 13 ground units were still watering the area to limit the chances of a further blaze.
Catalan president Salvador Illa offered his condolences, saying the firefighter died ‘while on duty’. He added: ‘All my support and the government’s in the enormous task firefighters are doing.’
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posted his condolences on social media platform X, expressing solidarity with the firefighter’s family and colleagues.
Serrano’s death marks the third fatality linked to wildfires in Catalonia this month. Earlier in July, two farmers were killed while trying to manage a blaze in the Segarra region of western Catalonia. ALSO READ: Two dead, two injured, as wildfires scorch 6,500 hectares in west Catalonia.
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⚫️ Illa i Parlon, en el minut de silenci per la mort d’un bomber a l’incendi de Paüls.
També l’han volgut recordar els seus companys de bombers de Granollers
➕ Info: https://t.co/HN5ymS5VpX pic.twitter.com/GNXa7sVoif
— RTVE Notícies (@rtvenoticies) July 11, 2025
Lamento molt la mort d’un tècnic de la unitat EPAF del cos de @bomberscat en acte de servei mentre treballava en l’extinció de l’#IFPaüls al Baix Ebre.
El meu sentit condol als seus familiars i al cos de Bombers en aquests moments tan difícils.
Tot el meu suport i el del Govern… https://t.co/mZrv0Qf3ia
— Salvador Illa Roca (@salvadorilla) July 10, 2025
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