- Title: Military firefighters tackle raging forest blaze in Portugal
- Date: 20th June 2017
- Summary: CARVALHO, PORTUGAL (JUNE 19, 2017) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) FOREST FIRE SEEN ON HILLSIDE NEXT TO HOUSES VARIOUS OF FIRE RAGING NEXT TO HOUSE FIREFIGHTER INSPECTING AREA WITH TORCH EMERGENCY VEHICLE PARKED ON ROAD MILITARY PERSONNEL STANDING NEAR VEHICLE FIRE BURNING ON HILLSIDE OLD MEN SITTING ON A BENCH WATCHING THE FIRE FIRE BURNING ON HILLSIDE PEOPLE STANDING ON ROADSIDE, FIRE SEEN IN BACKDROP VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS WATCHING FIRE CLOSE OF FIREFIGHTERS FACES TREES ON FIRE FIREFIGHTER WALKING TOWARDS FIRE TREES ON FIRE CLOSE OF FIRE EMERGENCY VEHICLE WITH LIGHTS FLASHING DRIVING ALONG ROAD CARVALHO, PORTUGAL (JUNE 19, 2017) (REUTERS) (DAY SHOTS) EMERGENCY VEHICLE PARKED FIRES SEEN ON HILLSIDE IN DISTANCE FIRE BURNING NEAR HOUSES MAN SAT ON WALL WATCHING SMOKE RISE FROM FOREST CLOSE OF MAN WIPING HIS BROW FIRE BURNING IN FOREST PEOPLE WATCHING AS FIRE BURNS NEAR HOUSES VARIOUS OF FIRE BURNING NEAR HOUSES CLOSE OF FLAMES MILITARY PERSONNEL WATCHING FIRE CLOSE OF BADGE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL'S ARM MILITARY PERSONNEL WATCHING FIRE VARIOUS OF FIRE MAN USING A HOSE TO SPRAY WATER OVER A BUILDING FLAMES SEEN BEHIND BUILDING WATER PLANE FLYING OVERHEAD
- Embargoed: 4th July 2017 01:26
- Keywords: Fire forest fire blaze firefighters military Portugal planes
- Location: CARVALHO, PORTUGAL
- City: CARVALHO, PORTUGAL
- Country: Portugal
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Fires
- Reuters ID: LVA0016M2Z4NB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: More than 1,000 firefighters were still battling Portugal's deadliest forest blaze on Monday (June 19) after it killed dozens over the weekend, and a fireman died from his injuries in a hospital, bringing the death toll to at least 63.
More than 70 people, including 13 firefighters, were taken to hospital on Monday with burns and injuries as the fires ravaged the central districts of Leiria and Castelo Branco.
At least half the victims died in their cars as they tried to flee along a local motorway. Many other bodies were found next to the road, suggesting they had abandoned their vehicles in panic. The firefighter who died on Monday had been helping people out of their cars when he was badly burned.
Police said a lightning strike on a tree probably caused the blaze, in a region hit by an intense heat wave and dry, gusty winds that fanned the flames. However, the regional prosecutor still ordered a criminal investigation into the causes. Many forest fires in Portugal are caused by arson or carelessness. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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