Combustion Damages Majolica Tiles in Encamp's Oratori de les Bons Chapel

A small combustion incident partially damaged the majolica tiles inside Encamp's Oratori de les Bons chapel on Sunday evening, with smoke causing most of the harm. Commune officials confirmed no flames were involved and have removed all interior tiles for restoration.

Emergency services responded promptly after detecting smoke in the chapel, where around 40 locals had gathered the previous evening for the parish's traditional Mare de Déu de l'Oratori event. Parish traffic agents arrived first to assess the situation. The damage affected the mosaic surface mainly from heavy smoke, though intense heat caused some tiles to detach or become soiled. Sources from the commune emphasized to Diari d'Andorra that it was not a fire with open flames.

On Monday morning, teams from Encamp, with guidance from the government's Cultural Heritage department, evaluated the site, cleaned the interior, and extracted every interior tile for off-site conservation work. The Cultural Heritage office stated via Instagram that the piece remains restorable. Commune officials noted the impact was far less severe than initially feared.

The majolica, installed in 1999 by artist Ramon Argilés—who created a similar work in Pardines' Mare de Déu de l'Ecologia chapel—holds strong sentimental value for the community. No exterior tiles or other heritage items, such as antique carvings, were affected.

To avert repeats, particularly with expected crowds for the Meritxell vigil along the camí de les Bons, workers fitted a padlock to the chapel door. They also posted a notice at the entrance detailing the incident and banning lit candles inside or outside during restoration for safety reasons. Commune leaders reinforced the no-candles policy.