One of Spain's best-preserved ancient Roman settlements has been set ablaze by fireworks during a local town celebration.
The Castell a la Mar event in Calpe, Spain, was taking place as usual, when a firework went astray and headed straight for the Baños de la Reina, an ancient site that dates back to the Roman Empire, local news station CCMA reported.
It's one of the most important Roman sites in the Iberian Peninsula, dating back to the 1st century AD. Several ruins are visible, including mosaics, villas and Roman water wells, and to date only a quarter of the settlement has been excavated.
Pictures and videos posted to social media showed the site ablaze, with huge flames engulfing the ruins.
Residents nearby, who had been watching the firework display, quickly called authorities, who turned up to tackle the flames, CCMA reported. The fire was put out, but the extent of the damage isn't yet known.
The Calpe City Council said a statement it was grateful to firefighters who arrived at the scene quickly. There were no injuries reported.
The site was then assessed on August 7 to determine how serious the damage is and what remedial works may need to be done, CCMA reported.
También hubo incendio anoche en los Baños de la reina en #Calpe causado por el espectáculo de pirotecnia de las fiestas #incendio #costablanca pic.twitter.com/z6KZ5qPjOt
— Joan (@JoanCarvanjal) August 6, 2023
The Castell a la Mar firework festival happens every year, and draws many tourists to the area. The fireworks typically take place on the Arenal-Bol de Calpe beach.
Thousands of people usually gather to watch.
Some local people are expressing outrage that the fireworks were set off so close to the remains.
Roman ruins can be found across many areas of the peninsula that the Romans called Hispania, and the Baños de la Reina is among the most visually impressive and important for historians. Experts cite the layout and architectural design of the settlement, and highlight its mosaics, many of which can be seen very clearly.
What has so far been excavated has already told archaeologists that it used to be a large settlement, and that it contained villas fitted with many luxuries.
New discoveries from the Roman Empire are being made all the time, and experts stress the importance of protecting sites such as this one for future generations.
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