Portuguese inferno leaves scores dead
● Forest fires start after dry storm ● Three days of mourning declared
Raging forest fires in central Portugal have killed at least 62 people, many of them trapped in their cars as flames swept over a road, in what the prime minister called “the biggest tragedy” the country has experienced in years.
Portugal has declared three days of national mourning for the victims in the blaze “which has caused an irreparable loss of human life,” according to a government statement.
A lightning strike is believed to have sparked the blaze in the Pedrogao Grande area after investigators found a tree that was hit during a “dry thunderstorm,” the head of the national judicial police told Portuguese media.
Dry thunderstorms are frequent when falling water evaporates before reaching the ground because of high temperatures.
“This is a region that has had fires because of its forests, but we cannot remember a tragedy of these proportions,” said Valdemar Alves, mayor of Pedrogao Grande. “I am completely stunned by the number of deaths.”
Interior Ministry official Jorge Gomes said that 60 people died from the flames and suffocating smoke, while another two people perished in a traffic accident related to the fires. Another 54 people were injured, including four firefighters and a seriously injured minor, Mr Gomes told state broadcaster RTP.
Authorities had previously said that 40C heat in recent days might have played a part in the inferno about 95 miles northeast of Lisbon.
More than 350 soldiers yesterday joined 700 firefighters who have fought the blaze since Saturday, the government said.
A huge wall of thick smoke and bright red flames towered over the top of trees near houses in the wooded region. Local resident Isabel Brandao told The Associated Press that she had feared for her life.
“Yesterday we saw the fire but thought it was very far. I never thought it would come to this side,” she said. “At 3:30am, my mother-inlaw woke me up quickly and we never went to sleep again. We were afraid the fire would reach us.”
RTP showed images of several people on a road trying to escape the intense smoke that had reduced visibility to a few meters.
Mr Gomes said that at least 30 people were killed when their vehicles were engulfed by flames on a road between the towns of Figueiro dos Vinhos and Castanheira de Pera, and three others died from smoke inhalation in Figueiro dos Vinhos.
The rest of the bodies were found outside of the cars or in the forest, the official said.
The official also said that firefighting crews were having difficulties in battling the fire, which was “very violent”.
Theeuropeanunionsaid it had activated its civil protection efforts responding to a call for assistance by Portuguese authorities.