Spanish police: Arson led to café explosion; Two women killed, incl. Dutch pedestrian

A Dutch woman died alongside another woman in an explosion at a bar in the Murcia region of Spain on June 19, Spanish media reported. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the death of the 56-year-old woman, who was an accidental bystander.

Authorities suspect the explosion may have been deliberate. Local reports from Murcia Today mention a cut gas line as a possible cause.

The Dutch victim suffered severe head injuries after passing the bar on her way to a nearby market when the blast occurred. The other victim, a 38-year-old woman, was the bar’s manager. Both victims later died in the hospital from their injuries.

The incident happened at a bar in Lo Pagán, a village within San Pedro del Pinatar, on the coast of the Mar Menor. The local municipality released an official statement expressing condolences: “We sympathize with the grief of family and loved ones during this difficult time.”