Night of Terror in Sabrosa
Intense flames raging in Sabrosa, within the Vila Real district, on Saturday night, led to the evacuation of an elderly home in the village of São Martinho de Anta. The situation escalated quickly, with the fire advancing on two fronts and, by 11 PM, reaching the outskirts of the village, causing panic among the residents.
Photo: Rui Manuel Fonseca
Emergency Response in Action
A truck was engulfed by flames near a daycare center, prompting precautionary measures, including the evacuation of the elderly home. Nineteen residents were relocated—some to family homes, others to the Mercado dos Produtos Durienses, and seven to the local Santa Casa da Misericórdia.
António Araújo, the Civil Protection councilor of Sabrosa, reassured the public, stating, "No houses have been affected so far, to my knowledge." Emergency services, including ambulances, were mobilized as a precaution due to the fire's proximity.
On the Ground Efforts
By midnight, the situation had calmed, though the glow of the flames was still visible around the village. The firefighting efforts were bolstered to 290 operatives, 92 vehicles, and three tracked machines. The strategy focused on protecting populations and buildings before aggressively combating the fire fronts to reduce intensity and extinguish the blaze.
Three firefighters sustained injuries earlier in the day, suffering from first and second-degree burns and heat shock, but all have since recovered and returned to duty.
The fire, which began at 2:30 PM in São Cibrão, Vila Real, spread to Sabrosa, marking the second major blaze to hit the municipality in two weeks.
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