PORTUGAL ON MASSIVE FIRE EXPLOSION : at least 8 teenagers Found Dead In A Massive Burning farm land community mourns …
PORTUGAL ON MASSIVE FIRE EXPLOSION : at least 8 teenagers Found Dead In A Massive Burning farm land community mourns …
At least 8 people died and dozens were injured in a fire that engulfed a community center in northern Portugal.
The fire in Vila Nova da Rainha was caused after an explosion in the boiler and according to the mayor Jose Antonio Jesus, more than 60 people were in the center. He said that the cultural and artistic center was one of the most frequented in the area. The flames spread rapidly creating a large amount of carbon monoxide.
Vila Nova da Rainha is located near the town of Tondela, about 260 northeast of Lisbon. The injured are 35 according to local media, 6 of them in serious condition.
The newspaper “Diário de Notícias” reported that the glass wool material on the roof of the building may have influenced the rapid spread of flames in the two-story building.
Thick smoke may have disoriented people as they tried to flee in panic. One of the survivors told local media that many people had fallen on top of each other on the stairs. Dozens of firefighters were engaged in extinguishing the flames.
Our condolences go to the relatives and friends of at least 62 persons(including four children) who have died in a huge forest fire to the north east of Lisbon, as well as over 60 who have been injured including six firefighters.
The Prime Minister will decree this Sunday national mourning.
A huge forest fire in central Portugal has killed at least 62 people and injured over 60 others, most of them burning to death in their cars, the government said this morning (Sunday 18th June).
Several hundred firefighters and 160 vehicles were dispatched late on Saturday to tackle the blaze, which broke out in the afternoon in the municipality of Pedrogao Grande before spreading fast across several fronts.
IMPORTANT UPDATE 10.16 HRS. SCP have contacted ANPC and have requested whether any special telephone number has been set up so loved ones can enquire about missing relatives. They have informed us that all enquiries should be made through respective Embassies of the nationalities concerned. Enquiries can be directed at the ANPC national headquarters in Lisbon for Portuguese who may be missing on 214247100.
Concerning missing British nationals the area can contact the FCO Global Response Centre through the Embassy in Lisbon at (351) 213924000 press 1 for English and then 4 to be contacted to the centre.
