The president of the Oliveira de Azeméis City Council, Joaquim Jorge, revealed this Monday that there are four injured firefighters as a result of the ongoing fire in the city. One of them is in serious condition but not in life-threatening danger.
“We are facing an extremely serious situation and we are trying to adapt the resources to respond to the various fire outbreaks. Our concern, naturally, is the people, and that’s where we are focusing all our attention,” Joaquim Jorge began by saying in statements to SIC Notícias.
The mayor stated that “the weather conditions are highly adverse and tend to worsen,” which led to the “precautionary” decision to evacuate a nursing home.
Apparently, “the active fronts” of the fire “continue to burn with great intensity” as of 11:30 AM. “These are tremendously complex fronts to work on. The situation is not easy at all, but we trust the work being done by firefighters from all over the country, who have been here for many hours with great effort, dedication, and commitment,” he emphasized.
There are “four firefighters injured with burns,” one of whom with “more serious” injuries, but “fortunately out of danger,” the mayor highlights, before offering “condolences” to the family of operative João Silva, who died yesterday following a sudden illness during the fight against this fire.
Oliveira de Azeméis is in mourning and grappling with a “very active” fire. As of 7:50 AM, there were 443 men on the ground, supported by 146 vehicles.
Currently, there are 500 operatives on the ground, supported by more than 160 vehicles and seven aerial resources, according to the head of the municipality.
Meanwhile, the National Republican Guard (GNR) announced that there are several “road closures” due to this fire. Traffic on IC2 and national roads EN 238 and 109, in addition to highways A1, A25, and A29, is also cut off.
It should be noted that the District Emergency Plan for Civil Protection of Aveiro was activated today, following the “serious situation” triggered by the forest fires that are ongoing in the district of Aveiro.
The decision was made following the fires currently ongoing in the municipalities of Albergaria-a-Velha, Águeda, Sever do Vouga, and Oliveira de Azeméis, in the district of Aveiro, with these municipalities having already activated their Municipal Emergency Plans for Civil Protection.
