Football games postponed after deadly Valencia apartment block fire

Firefighters work on the fire in the Campanar neighborhood. A large fire 22 February swept through a 14-story building in the Valencia neighborhood of Campanar. At the moment, there are four people dead and 19 missing people that the firefighters are still looking for. Jorge Gil/EUROPA PRESS/dpa

Football matches in the Spanish city of Valencia have been postponed after four people died and others are missing in a fire at a local apartment block on Thursday.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said on Friday it acted upon a request from La Liga club Valencia who had been scheduled to play Granada on Saturday.

The second division game in the port city between Levante and Andorra was also postponed.

Valencia coach Rubén Baraja said "it's a day when football takes a back seat, there are things in life that are much more important.

"We need to show solidarity in this situation and thank all the people who have helped to prevent it from becoming as catastrophic as feared."

The Spanish league said that a minute's silence for the victims will be observed at all wekend games.

Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez (C) visits the fire site in a 14-story building in the Valencia neighbourhood of Campanar. Jorge Gil/EUROPA PRESS/dpa
Flames destroy a high-rise building in the Campanar district. According to the emergency services, the fire broke out in an apartment on the fourth floor and spread rapidly. Eduardo Manzana/EUROPA PRESS/dpa

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