Out of control forest fire kills 25, injures dozens more in Portugal
At least 25 people are dead and dozens more injured after a ferocious forest fire tore through Portugal.
Local media say most of the victims burned to death in their vehicles whilst trying to escape the raging blaze in the municipality of Pedrogao Grande.
“Unfortunately this seems to be the greatest tragedy we have seen in recent years in terms of forest fires,” Prime Minister Antonio Costa said.
“The number of fatalities could still rise.”
The fire broke out during a severe heatwave on Saturday afternoon with hundreds of firefighters tasked to the scene to battle the out of control blaze.
It’s understood firefighters are among those injured.
The fire has been described as one of the deadliest in decades.
24 people died today, most of them in their cars, in a huge forest fire in Pedrogão Grande, Portugal. Many injured. How terrible! pic.twitter.com/LNxNEhsWWf
— kaveri (@ikaveri) June 18, 2017
