Spain and Portugal Reel from Massive Power Outage as Fatalities Confirmed

At least five people have died as a result of a large-scale power outage that affected the Iberian Peninsula on Monday, according to reports from international media. Millions of residents across Spain, Portugal, and parts of France were left without electricity, and authorities are still working to determine the cause of the disruption.

On Tuesday, officials confirmed several fatalities potentially linked to the blackout. In Madrid's Carabanchel district, one individual died in a fire reportedly caused by a candle. In the Galician town of Taboadela, a couple and their son were found dead from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. According to The Times, investigators are examining whether the deaths were caused by a faulty generator or another fuel-burning device. Additionally, a woman in the Spanish capital also lost her life in a separate candle-related fire.

The outage led to widespread chaos. Reports from Euronews described scenes of families relying on candlelight in their homes, suspended metro services that trapped thousands underground, shuttered businesses, and communication breakdowns, as people were unable to use mobile phones or make electronic payments.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared a state of emergency on Monday evening in several regions of Spain. While the measure has since been lifted in most areas, it remains in effect in the Valencia region at the request of local authorities. Sanchez ruled out terrorism as a possible cause and described the incident as “unthinkable” for a country in southern Europe. He also promised a full investigation into the power failure.

In Portugal, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said an inquiry is also underway and added that there is currently no evidence of a cyberattack. While atmospheric conditions and cyber threats have been dismissed as causes, speculation remains that solar panel systems might have played a role, although no official conclusions have been drawn.