In the early hours of October 1, 2023, a haunting message reverberated through the corridors of digital communication. Leidy Paola Correa, a 27-year-old Latin American woman, sent an audio message to her mother via WhatsApp, moments before succumbing to a catastrophic fire at Fonda Milagros nightclub in Murcia, Spain. The message arrived at 6:06 a.m., a timestamp that would forever be etched in the memory of her grieving family.
The audio message, laden with palpable fear and desperation, was a poignant epitaph to a life cut short. “Mom, I love her, we are going to die,” Leidy’s voice quivered in the recording, which was later broadcast by Spanish media outlets. The cacophony of screams and pleas for help served as a chilling backdrop to her final words.
Leidy’s parents, now enveloped in an impenetrable fog of sorrow, spoke to foreign journalists about the harrowing experience. Her father, his voice tinged with an ineffable sadness, said, “It was clear that these were the last seconds of her life.” The family’s attempts to reach Leidy after receiving the message proved futile, as they later learned of the calamitous event through media reports.
The inferno claimed the lives of 13 individuals, including several Colombians and Ecuadorians, and left 24 others injured. Leidy had attended the ill-fated venue with her boyfriend, Kevin Alejandro Gómez. The nightclub, Fonda Milagros, was owned by a Colombian entrepreneur, Juan Esteban Ramírez. Notably, this was the most devastating fire Spain had witnessed since 1990, according to authorities.
In a disquieting twist, Spanish officials had determined in January 2022 that Fonda Milagros was unfit for operation. However, Ramírez was not informed of this decision until October of the same year. Speaking to Blu Radio, Ramírez vehemently disputed the authorities’ claims. “It’s impossible. They never warned me,” he said, questioning the logic behind allowing a supposedly unlicensed establishment to continue operations for an extended period.
While the official cause of the fire remains under investigation, Ramírez insisted that the establishment had adhered to all requisite safety measures. “It all happened so fast,” he recounted, describing his frantic efforts to evacuate patrons and manage the crisis. Despite his actions, the conflagration proved insurmountable.
Fonda Milagros was more than just a nightclub; it was a sanctuary where Colombian expatriates could find a slice of their homeland, even if they were thousands of miles away. Now, it stands as a grim reminder of a night that extinguished lives and shattered families, leaving a community in mourning and a nation grappling with questions that demand answers.
As investigations continue, the victims’ families, the local community, and indeed the world, await clarity on how such a tragedy could occur in a place meant for joy and celebration. Yet, for those who lost their loved ones, answers will provide scant comfort. The void left by the departed can never be filled, and the echoes of that fateful WhatsApp message will linger, a haunting refrain in the annals of sorrow.
