Fire incidents and firefighter injuries in Portugal and Bra

Multiple fire incidents have been reported across Portugal and Brazil, causing injuries to both civilians and emergency responders.

In Portugal, fires in Caldas da Rainha, Trofa, and Gondomar have led to firefighter injuries due to exhaustion and trauma. A forest fire near São Mamede do Coronado necessitated the precautionary evacuation of 40 students and six staff members from Escola da Vila. Additionally, a collision involving a firefighter ambulance in Vila Nova de Famalicão resulted in minor injuries to one responder.

The Liga dos Bombeiros Portugueses (LBP) has reported that more than 300 volunteer firefighters have been injured in the line of duty this year, primarily during the combat of rural fires. LBP President António Nunes noted that the actual number may be higher as reporting is not mandatory, attributing the rise to the “growing intensity of wildfires.” In response, a working group under the State Secretariat for Civil Protection has been established to review insurance coverage for volunteer firefighters, which currently has a treatment limit of 88,000 euros.

In Brazil, a fire in Pouso Alegre, Minas Gerais, injured one person. While the incident was initially thought to be caused by a pressure cooker explosion, authorities are investigating potential arson after finding the cooker intact. Other local incidents include a restaurant fire in Joaçaba caused by a forgotten electric fryer and heavy storms in Apucarana that required the fire department to distribute over 2,100 tarps to protect homes.