At least nine people have died in a fire that broke out in a nightclub in Murcia (southeastern Spain), the city’s mayor said, adding that rescuers are still searching for missing people after the fire.

The fire broke out in the early hours of today at the Teatre nightclub in Atalayas, on the outskirts of the city, emergency services reported on social media platform X.

The mayor of Murcia, Jose Bayesta, told reporters that nine people had been confirmed dead. Earlier he had said that seven people had been in the same place on the first floor, where the fire broke out.

Outside the nightclub, young people hugged each other in shock as they waited for information about the missing.

“Five members of my family are inside, I don’t know where they are. And two friends,” said a man who did not want to be named.

Bayesta declared three days of mourning. The flag is flying at half mast outside Murcia’s town hall.

Footage posted to its X account by Murcia’s fire department shows firefighters working to bring the flames inside the nightclub under control. The fire destroyed part of the roof, according to the footage.

“We are devastated,” Bagesta told Spanish broadcaster 24h, adding that rescuers were still searching for several people who were reported missing.

Bagesta told 24h that the fire started around 6:00 am. and that it is now under control.

He said emergency services were working to determine the cause of the fire.

Four people have been taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.