Portugal forest fire death toll rises to 62, 3 days of national mourning declared

HINDUSTAN TIMES, 18th JUNE, 2017-Raging forest fires in central Portugal killed at least 62 people, most of whom burnt to death in their cars, and injured scores of others, the government said Sunday. Portugal declares 3 days of national mourning.

Nearly 600 firefighters and 160 vehicles were dispatched late Saturday to tackle the blaze, which broke out in the afternoon in the municipality of Pedrogao Grande, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Coimbra, before spreading fast across several fronts.

“Unfortunately this seems to be the greatest tragedy we have seen in recent years in terms of forest fires,” a visibly moved Prime Minister Antonio Costa said.

“The number of fatalities could still rise,” he said at the Civil Protection headquarters near Lisbon.
“The priority now is to save those people who could still be in danger.”