A Not-So-Happy Birthday in Javalí Viejo
The night of Tuesday, October 7 to Wednesday, October 8, 2025, was anything but restful for the residents of Javalí Viejo. According to El Diario, loudspeakers at a local school malfunctioned (or perhaps developed a mischievous streak), playing the “Happy Birthday” song on a seemingly endless loop. For five straight hours, the cheerful melody designed for cake and candles became an unintentional marathon of annoyance.
From Frustration to Rescue Mission
The ordeal began around 11:00 p.m. and continued until 4:00 a.m.—a test of patience by anyone’s standards. Eventually, the exhausted locals did what any sleep-deprived community would: they called for help. The fire department responded, entering the school to cut off the noise at its source. Their successful intervention was even shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Murcia’s fire department, gaining attention for both its urgency… and a dash of humor.
“We didn’t mean to spoil anyone’s birthday, but… this really wasn’t the time!”
The comment accompanied a video showing one of the firefighters, ladder in hand, marching determinedly toward a loudspeaker to silence the relentless song.
When a Few Hours Feels Like Forever
For the people of Javalí Viejo, relief finally came after just five hours—though it surely felt much longer. Still, it could have been worse. Last spring in the French city of Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes), residents of the La Bocca neighborhood endured nearly three entire weeks—nineteen long days—of a blaring alarm. The siren started on May 15, 2025. Despite multiple visits by local police, the source could not be located and stopped just as mysteriously on June 2.
In the end, the residents of Javalí Viejo may not be singing “Happy Birthday” with quite as much enthusiasm next time it comes round. But at least their nightmare passed before sunrise—a small mercy, and one birthday memory they’re unlikely to forget anytime soon.
