Fire Destroys €15M Refurbished Aigua Pura Bottling Plant in Arinsal After 2 Days

Firefighters have declared the blaze at the former Aigües d'Arinsal bottling plant in Arinsal, La Massana parish, fully extinguished after more than two days of intense operations. The incident, which began on Wednesday evening around 6:45pm when neighbours spotted smoke rising from the roof, destroyed the entire 4,000-square-metre facility comprising three interconnected warehouses.

Initial reports indicated flames under the roof, prompting two firefighting units—including a Santa Coloma ladder truck—to respond alongside police patrols that closed one lane of the access road. Strong winds gusting up to 95km/h, reaching 150km/h overnight, and the building's complex structure—a double roof with plasterboard and high ceilings—prevented direct access to the fire. Fire crews attempted to cut through the roof but failed, and flames spread unchecked until the entire roof collapsed around 1am Thursday.

No injuries occurred, as the disused plant—long inactive but recently owned by Russian investors and rebranded as Aigua Pura—was empty. Up to 40 firefighters in 10 units worked in shifts over 14-hour periods, adopting a defensive strategy to contain the blaze and prevent spread to nearby woodland or buildings. Dense smoke forced the evacuation of around 35 guests from Hotel Montané and several apart-hotels; they were relocated to Hotel Sant Gothard with Red Cross assistance. Police deployed over 30 officers, including drone surveillance, while traffic on the CG-5 road was restricted, with periodic convoys allowed from Thursday afternoon.

By Thursday morning, Head of Government Xavier Espot, Interior Minister Ester Molné, Fire Chief Jordi Farré, and La Massana Cònsol Major Eva Sansa visited the site. Espot described the structure as "nearly ruined and irreparable," praising emergency services for limiting damage to the building amid adverse weather. Sansa expressed "impotence" over the loss of a site operational since 1972 with strong sentimental value to the parish.

The €15 million refurbishment, completed two years ago with new bottling machinery installed while awaiting Health Ministry water extraction permits, has been lost. Aigua Pura director Sandra Martín noted everything was ready except final approvals; preliminary inquiries point to a newly installed electrical panel as a focus, though police, firefighters, and industry officials are investigating jointly to rule out criminality. Authorities confirmed an accidental electrical origin but await full forensic analysis.

Firefighters used foam and water on hot spots amid collapsing debris risks, demolishing the village-side facade Thursday for safety. By Friday, operations shifted to monitoring; Saturday morning checks found minor smoke from buried wood, aided by rain. The site remains secured for further probes, with no public access. Water supply disruptions affected upper Arinsal homes due to firefighting demands, and the ski station closed briefly. Road access has reopened, and Protección Civil has stood down.