3 dead in Spain following nationwide power outage

At least three people have died in north-western Spain in an incident linked to the massive power outage that plunged large parts of the country—and neighbouring Portugal—into darkness on Monday, the Civil Guard has confirmed to the BBC.

The victims, a married couple and their adult son, were found dead in their home in the municipality of Taboadela, in the province of Ourense. Spanish media, including the national daily El País, report that the family may have succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning from a malfunctioning generator used during the blackout.

Their bodies were discovered on Tuesday morning by a care worker who visited the home after becoming concerned about the family’s silence. According to reports, the three were found in their beds, and investigators are working to determine whether the generator had been operating overnight without adequate ventilation.

Police have yet to issue an official cause of death, but a spokesperson for the Civil Guard acknowledged that carbon monoxide exposure is a “working hypothesis.”

The deaths come as authorities across the Iberian Peninsula continue to investigate the cause of Monday’s massive blackout, which disrupted transport, communications, and emergency services in both Spain and Portugal. Power was gradually restored within hours, but the outage exposed critical vulnerabilities in the region’s energy infrastructure.

Government officials have not confirmed whether the outage was caused by a technical failure, cyberattack, or external interference. Spain’s Energy Ministry has launched an inquiry and is expected to provide a preliminary report later this week.

In Taboadela, news of the family’s deaths has sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community. “It’s devastating. They were well known and liked,” said one neighbour. “No one imagined something like this could happen here.”

Emergency services have issued renewed warnings about the dangers of using portable generators indoors or in poorly ventilated areas, especially in rural homes not connected to backup power grids.

As the investigation continues, the tragedy in Taboadela has cast a somber shadow over a country already reeling from one of the most disruptive power failures in recent memory.