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Two firefighters suffered second degree burns while fighting a fire in the municipality of Proença-a-Nova. The two victims were transported by helicopter to the University Hospitals of Coimbra in serious condition, since they were hit by fire not only in the legs but also in the abdomen, which may condition a possible need for ventilation.
Source of the National Emergency and Protection Civil informed the Lusa agency that the two men are “free of danger.” The vehicle they were following was burned in the fire, which has been plowing since early afternoon in the town of Conqueiros, in the Castelo Branco district, and the causes of which have not yet been investigated. There were also three other minor injuries among the Proença-a-Nova firefighters, with minor burns and poisoning from smoke inhalation. All the men were inside the burning vehicle.
According to information from the National Civil Protection Authority, there are 114 vehicles and 12 air means on the site, as well as 358 operations. The flames are not yet under control, reports the Proença-a-Nova City Council.
Last July, the Proença-a-Nova Volunteer Firefighters lost one of their men, a 21-year-old boy. Diogo Dias was fighting a fire and the vehicle in which he was overturned, causing the accident three more injuries. About a thousand people attended the funeral ceremonies, including the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
In a situation that took place at 7:00 p.m., one of the commanders of the National Emergency and Protection Civilian, André Fernandes, said that in addition to the Proença-a-Nova fire, four other fires had worrying dimensions: two in Arouca, one in Torre de Moncorvo, in Bragança, and another already in Galicia, near Terras de Bouro, whose The combat was supported by Portuguese operatives.
André Fernandes did not venture a forecast of when the flames will be controlled in Proença-a-Nova: “The fight continues to be difficult due to the strong wind, vegetation and drought,” he explained, appealing to the populations not to lower their guard and help Civil Protection, respecting the instructions given not to use fire at this time, when “fires continue to have a great probability of progressing rapidly and violently.”
“We are going to wait for the weather scenario to change. But it won’t be tomorrow, ”said the same official.
