Couple saved from Valencia tower block inferno say they ‘refused to die’

The final couple saved from a tower block inferno in Valencia say “they refused to die” as firefighters rescued them from the burning building.

Sara Jorge, 26, and her boyfriend Anmar Deruyuck from Belgium were rescued from the 14-storey block on Rafael Alberti Poeta Street which set ablaze at 5.30pm on Thursday.

The blaze, fanned by strong winds, broke out on Thursday evening in the affluent El Campanar district.

The fire which consumed the tower block has claimed 10 victims so far and on Saturday the city mourned the victims.

Amongst the escapees are Ms Jorge and Mr Deruyuck who reportedly were renting a flat in the complex, dramatic footage showed the pair pacing up and down the balcony screaming for help, according to the paper.

Ms Jorge told the BBC: “Once we jumped from our flat to a balcony and could see the flames all around us, that was the moment we thought we were going to die there.

“But I said to my boyfriend: ‘I refuse to die.’ The conditions around us were telling us it would happen- but I just knew it wasn’t my time.”

Speaking of their extraordinary escape, Ms Jorge said the couple scrambled onto the balcony where they remained for two and a half hours trying to make themselves visible to the rescuers, she told the paper.

The 26-year-old said they went into survival mode as firefighters put out the engulfing flames. The couple said they refused to hug and instead exchanged a little kiss – to signal they were not giving up.