At least 57 people have been killed and several injured in raging forest fires in central Portugal. Many people died because of getting trapped in their cars.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has described the disaster as “the biggest tragedy” of recent years.
Most of the deaths occurred in the Pedrogao Grande area, about 95 miles northeast of Lisbon. Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed in this area to put out the fires.
Among the injured are four firefighters and a seriously injured minor, revealed Interior Ministry official Jorge Gomes.
According to Gomes, 16 people were killed after flames engulfed their vehicles on a road between the Castanheira de Pera and Figueiro dos Vinhos towns.
It is believed that a lightning strike sparked the blaze. Portugal’s judiciary police head said the cause of the fire had been identified as a dry thunderstorm.
“We have found the tree that was hit by lighting,” José Maria Almeida Rodrigues told reporters.
“Everything indicates that the fire was started by natural causes.”
A local resident Isabel Brandao told The Associated Press: “Yesterday we saw the fire but thought it was very far. I never thought it would come to this side,”
“At 3:30 a.m., my mother-in-law woke me up quickly and we never went to sleep again. We were afraid the fire would reach us.”
Valdemar Alves, mayor of Pedrogao Grande said: “This is a region that has had fires because of its forests, but we cannot remember a tragedy of these proportions.”
“I am completely stunned by the number of deaths.”
Constança Urbana de Sousa, home affairs minister revealed that soldiers and additional firefighting planes from Spain and France were sent to assist help fight the blaze.
The fire started on Saturday afternoon and soon it got out of control, destroying several fire engines.
“We are trying to evacuate villages that are surrounded by flames and in great danger,” Valdemar Alves, the mayor of Pedrógão Grande, told the Lusa news agency.
“The fire came within 50m of the town.”
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