Local officials confirmed on Monday that two nightclubs destroyed by a catastrophic fire in the southeastern Spanish city of Murcia over the weekend were found to be operating without a legal permission a year ago and were told to close at the time.

It wasn’t apparent why the club was still permitted to operate after that advice. Authorities reported at least 13 people were killed in Spain’s worst fire in decades early Sunday.

The fire ravaged three adjacent nightclubs in Atalayas, on the outskirts of the city, but two of them – Teatre and La Fonda Milagros – were the most severely damaged. The cause of the fire remained unknown.

Local officials told a news conference on Monday that Teatre, which had a licence to operate as a nightclub and kitchen since 2008, had asked for a special permit after splitting the establishment into two in 2019.

But in January 2022, the municipality ordered it to cease all business activities, as dividing the building required them to request a completely different permit. Teatre unsuccessfully appealed the decision and the closure order was issued in October 2022.

All of the victims were found in La Fonda club, whose roof had collapsed due to the intensity of the flames, Diego Seral, a spokesperson for Spain’s national police, said.

La Fonda’s attorney, Francisco Adan, told reporters no one had ever notified the club that it did not hold a valid permit. “In fact, about a year ago, a number of modifications had to be made as a result of an inspection,” he added.

The city of Murcia will join the lawsuit against the club, officials said.

Rescuers have not found any more casualties and there were no more people reported missing, the head of the central government’s regional office, Francisco Jimenez, told state broadcaster TVE.

Spanish media reported that several of the dead were from one group celebrating a birthday.

Police have not yet been able to access the site due to the high temperatures and danger of further collapse in the building, Murcia’s mayor, Jose Ballesta, told TVE.

Firefighters were working to stabilise the structure, he added.

The remains of just three of the 13 victims have been identified so far, according to officials.