Madrid - A huge cloud of black smoke covered much of Madrid yesterday when the capital's main sports arena was destroyed by a fire which broke out only hours before the opening of a performance of Riverdance, writes Jane Walker.
Firemen believe the blaze was caused by a spark from a welder's torch. The Palacio de Deportes has been the scene of many memorable occasions over the past 40 years. In 1986 it hosted the World Basketball Championships, followed by the World Indoor Athletics event, and in 1992 Pope John Paul II celebrated a Mass in the Palace. In recent years it has also seen performances by many stars of stage and screen including Luciano Pavarotti, Paul McCartney and Michael Flatley.