A Tragic Fire
Exactly 50 years ago, Badalona was the scene of a tragedy that still resonates today. In the Morera neighborhood, a devastating fire completely consumed an illegal textile factory, known as Hais S.A. o Haissa, causing the loss of human life and the total destruction of the building.
The Factory and the Victims
The factory, which had not passed any Industry inspection and operated without a license, was the place where six workers lost their lives, including one man and five women. The absence of safety protocols, such as fire alarms, fire extinguishers or emergency exits, contributed to the escalation of the tragedy.
The Tragic Ending
The fire started around five in the afternoon, when most of the workers were outside. Unfortunately, it lasted more than 12 hours, and in the morning of the next day, the building collapsed, ending this terrible experience.
The Forgotten Victims
According to investigations, a small group of workers were trapped inside the factory, with no possibility of escaping the smoke and flames, or of receiving help. This small group, which unfortunately would become the fatal victims of that tragedy, was made up of people like Eusebia Lausén Fusté, Antònia Llanés Costa, Francesc Andreu Morales, Francisca Vico Morales, Josefa Lumbreras López and Glòria Parra Martín, all of them factory workers and residents of Badalona and other nearby towns.
The Reaction of the Authorities
Despite the seriousness of the incident, the local and provincial authorities, as well as the representatives of the vertical union, did not demand responsibility. In addition, victims’ families and workers demanding justice were threatened by the police, while the compensation offered was seen as ridiculous and unfair.
Unfair Consequences
The compensations, which came to be approximately 100,000 pesetas per dead person, were arbitrated by the regime authorities, and families that did not accept them were coerced. In addition, the verbally agreed compensations were never paid, leaving the families in a situation of helplessness and injustice.