- Title: Portuguese truck driver survives fire inferno
- Date: 20th June 2017
- Summary: BARRACA DA BOAVISTA, PORTUGAL (JUNE 20, 2017) (REUTERS) CHARRED FOREST AND HOUSES IN THE BACKGROUND HOUSE SIGN ON ROAD READING "BARRACA DA BOAVISTA" HOUSE WITH FRAYED PORTUGUESE FLAG ON ITS ROOF FRAYED PORTUGUESE FLAG FLUTTERING IN THE WIND HOUSE BELONGING TO JOSE CARLOS WITH TREES AROUND IT BURNT, CHARRED TREES AND BURNT CAR AND TRUCK ACROSS THE STREET BURNT TRUCK BURNT CAR UNDAMAGED TRACTOR PARKED BY JOSE CARLOS'S HOUSE, BURNT CAR AND TRUCK BURNT TRUCK EXTERIOR OF JOSE CARLOS'S HOUSE, JOSE CARLOS STANDING OUTSIDE HIS HOUSE JOSE CARLOS STARRING AHEAD (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) TRUCK DRIVER, JOSE CARLOS, SAYING: "The truck and the car, I used them for work and also the chainsaws...I have nothing. I managed to save the tractor, it's what I managed to save and the house, it's the most important." BURNT TREE AND JOSE CARLOS IN THE BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) TRUCK DRIVER, JOSE CARLOS, SAYING: "Let's see if we can do something, we are completely shocked, I can't believe it, I can't believe it." JOSE CARLOS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) TRUCK DRIVER, JOSE CARLOS, SAYING: "We started work last September and now everything we invested in is gone and we don't have the means to start again." JOSE CARLOS WALKING ON HIS LAND FENCE AND JOSE CARLOS SITTING IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE CHARRED CAR AND TRUCK IN FRONT OF HOUSE
- Embargoed: 4th July 2017 15:47
- Keywords: Portugal wildfire fire survivor
- Location: BARRACA DA BOAVISTA, PORTUGAL
- City: BARRACA DA BOAVISTA, PORTUGAL
- Country: Portugal
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Wildfires/Forest Fires
- Reuters ID: LVA0016M30MDJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Portuguese truck driver Jose Carlos was not home when a raging wildfire hit his village, Barraca da Boavista in central Portugal, at the weekend.
His wife and son managed to survive choosing to remain in their home while only a few metres away the blaze burnt the family car and Jose Carlos's truck, chainsaws and the trees surrounding the house.
Jose Carlos was still in shock on Tuesday (June 20) and his family refused to speak to journalists.
"The truck and the car, I used them for work and also the chainsaws...I have nothing. I managed to save the tractor, it's what I managed to save and the house, it's the most important," Jose Carlos said.
Sixty-four people died in the wildfire in central Portugal at the weekend whilst many others have lost everything. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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