TWO firefighters have been killed and three left fighting for life after their truck skidded off the road and plunged into a ravine while on an emergency call in Portugal.
The horrific accident happened around 7pm on Sunday in the village of São Francisco de Assis as the crew rushed to tackle a blaze in Quinta do Campo, Fundão.
SICTwo firefighters were killed and three injured in a fire engine crash in Portugal[/caption]
The fire engine veered off the road and crashed into a ravine, leaving devastation in its wake.
One of the injured firefighters had to be airlifted by helicopter to Coimbra, SIC Notícias reports.
According to the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), 26 operators were mobilized to the accident scene, supported by nine vehicles and an aircraft.
Teams from the Covilhã and Fundão Volunteer Firefighters, the National Republican Guard (GNR), and the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) were also deployed.
In a statement, ANEPC paid tribute: “It is never enough to emphasize the commitment, altruism and professionalism with which, every day, thousands of firefighters across the country dedicate themselves, with courage and dedication, to defending the population and the forest against fires.”
The force offered condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also expressed his sorrow, lamenting “the tragic death” of a firefighter “while serving the community” in the battle against rural fires.
The head of state highlighted the sacrifice of firefighters nationwide, noting the crash came after “10 days of uninterrupted donation without limits of time and space” by those on the frontlines.
The tragedy adds to a deadly summer of wildfires.
Just weeks ago, a former mayor of Vila Franca do Deão lost his life fighting the flames — bringing the death toll from this year’s fires in Portugal to three.
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