Portuguese and Spanish wildfires leave 45 dead over the weekend
Penacova — Overnight, rain and calmer winds helped firefighters tame a spate of deadly wildfires that broke out over the weekend, devouring homes and killing 41 people in Portugal and another four in northern Spain. Portugal’s civil protection agency said on Tuesday that the 15 biggest fires, which had raged through the centre and the north of the country, had been brought under control, but that the death toll had risen. "We’ve gone from 37 dead to 41," civil protection agency spokesperson Patricia Gaspar told AFP. As the country began three days of mourning for the victims, the agency said 71 people had been injured in the fires, 16 of them seriously, and one person was still missing. Among the dead was a one-month-old baby. "Most of the victims were killed in their cars, but we also found them inside their houses," said José Carlos Alexandrino, mayor of Oliveira do Hospital near Coimbra, speaking to broadcaster RTP. "The whole city looked like a ball of fire, surrounded by flames...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.