On the night of Holy Thursday (2 April 2026), in the small municipality of San Emiliano (León province, Spain), a 26-year-old man from Honduras was arrested after allegedly trying to set fire to the entrance of a pub while people were inside. According to multiple Spanish local news reports:
The events began with a heated argument inside the establishment.
After being involved in a fight (or being asked to leave), the man left and returned with a jerrycan of gasoline (gasóleo).
He poured the fuel at the entrance of the pub and set it on fire.
Witnesses reported him shouting threats such as “Os voy a quemar vivos, hijos de puta” (“I’m going to burn you alive, you sons of bitches”).
The fire spread quickly but was rapidly extinguished by people inside using a fire extinguisher. No one was injured, though the situation caused significant panic and tension.
A second individual (reportedly his companion) allegedly threatened customers with an iron bar.
The Honduran man was detained by the Guardia Civil and faces charges including arson with danger to people and property damage. Some reports also mention a second person involved who may face extradition proceedings.
San Emiliano is a small, quiet rural town in the Babia region of León. Incidents of this severity are extremely rare there. The story has circulated widely on social media, often framed in the broader European debate on illegal immigration and public safety, with the suspect described as an “illegal migrant.”
Local Spanish outlets (such as La Nueva Crónica, Heraldo de León, Digital de León, and Tribuna de León) confirm the key facts: the nationality, the use of gasoline, the attempt to burn the entrance of the pub with people present, and the arrest.
