Pollensa bakery horror fire - an eye-witness account

Some time after 5pm I was in the kitchen. I heard what sounded like loud fireworks and saw plumes of smoke overhead. I went round the house closing all the windows and doors. I could see flames inside Can Xim. I looked outside. The police had arrived. I was standing at my door when Guardia Civil officers told me to evacuate.

Outside, I stood around, being moved back further and further. It was if there were flying, burning missiles landing on cars and in the street. It seemed a long time before the fire brigade arrived, by which time the windows had been blown out and thick smoke was billowing from the side of the roof. Then flames broke through the roof. The roar of the flames was very loud.

A grua removed parked cars. Then three fire engines arrived. Around 7pm, the Guardia Civil took my details and told me to go to a friend for an hour or two.

I returned around 8.30. The Guardia said that not even they were allowed near but that my house was alright. An officer called me at 10.40. The Guardia were waiting for me. When they realised there was no smoke damage, they said I could remain in my house but not go out.

A lot of damage has been done to the Can Xim building. It looks to be a shell and several houses adjoining and behind have been damaged. Only residents are being allowed access.

I am personally very sad for the family. When the son came to see what was left of Can Xim, he was visibly moved and said that his mother was in shock. I have been so fortunate. It was a very frightening experience.

One hundred euros to get solar self-consumption in Puerto Alcudia

The solar panels that have been installed in the car park on C. Teodor Canet in Puerto Alcudia will allow shared self-consumption of solar energy by 49 homes, seven small to medium-sized businesses and some municipal buildings (the town hall’s offices in the port are just down the road from the car park). The Balearic Institute of Energy, whose project this is, says that there will be a range of two kilometres and power of 100 kilowatts. Households can apply for one kilowatt at a cost of 100 euros per annum; businesses can have up to three kilowatts. In the case of homes, these have to be people’s main residences; holiday rentals are expressly excluded.

The institute will determine the allocation to consumers on a first come, first served basis, but priority will be given to vulnerable households. The allocation will be for one year, extendable up to four.

Tourism improvements for Alcudia

Alcudia’s mayor, Fina Linares, has held a meeting with Pedro Mas, the Council of Mallorca’s director for tourism sustainability. The purpose was to discuss various projects in the pipeline for Alcudia, e.g. the regatta channel on Lago Esperanza (aka Estany dels Ponts) and the plan for the so-called boulevard along the strip and by the Carretera Arta.

What a coincidence. A director called Pedro Mas for a project that relates to the Avenida Pedro Mas y Reus (the strip). Given his name, it must be going ahead then, there having been a rumour that it was being put on hold. Work, we were told by the previous administration at the Council, is due to start after the current season ends.

It can’t come soon enough. Improvement is badly needed, though as I’ve pointed out previously on this page, it doesn’t go far enough. There should be a much broader scheme - and yes, one to include Bellevue itself, while on the Carretera Arta there is the ongoing disaster that is the squat in the abandoned units next to the equally abandoned tennis courts. Utterly shameful for a place that wishes to pride itself on improvement and sustainability.

Bellevue ‘boss’ implicated in Estepona corruption case

A few days ago, it was reported in the local media that Jamal Satli Iglesias, the president of BlueBay Hotels, who operate Bellevue and Lagomonte in Alcudia, has been implicated in a major corruption case in Estepona on the Costa del Sol.

He does face an allegation of bribery, for which a twelve-month sentence and a 6,000 euro fine have been demanded. But there is nothing new about this. His name was first mentioned in respect of the so-called ‘caso Astapa’ back in March. A ‘mega-trial’ in Malaga had begun after sixteen years of investigations into corruption allegations that relate to the period 2003 to 2007. Over 100 people were charged with bribery, money laundering, embezzlement of public funds and fraud.

Sr. Satli says that documentation relating to the specific part of the investigation for which he has been named has been presented to the judge. It has to do with a watch that was manufactured in 1996, well before the case opened. He trusts that the matter has been clarified and that it will be “resolved”.
One feels that local interest in this case has only arisen because of the recent reports regarding the possible sale of apartments in Bellevue. Sr. Satli has explained that BlueBay are testing the market to see if there is interest in potential purchase - owners would be able to live in apartments for up to two months a year and derive income from the apartments being marketed by Bellevue for other months. He and the company are conscious of the fact that the necessary permits for this type of operation do not currently exist.