A couple over 70 years old was found dead on Monday inside a carbonized car in the village of Penabeice, in Murça. The couple was involved in a car accident after an attempt to drive away from a major fire.
The Civil Protection is investigating incident but has said that while driving away from a fire, the car went off the road and then turned over.
The commander of the Civil Protection, Andre Fernandes said: “We are sorry for the death of these two victims. It’s an area where the fire was developing, but the operationals are on the field, including the GNR, so we can be sure of how the accident occurred”. When more information is available, it will be made public.
CM Portugal reports that the victims were at home when the fire spread close to their property, leading them to drive away and have an accident.
The couple’s names are unknown, but they were 70 and 72 years old. They were Portuguese emigrants in France who had returned to the village of Penabeice for a vacation.
Fernandes said that this incident increases the death rate related to the fires in Portugal to 3 people after the death of a pilot on Friday.
The fire in Murça began during the weekend and is worsening. The authorities evacuated people from dangerous areas, but this was difficult as many did not want to leave their homes, according to SIC Noticias.
There are over 258 operationals fighting the fire, supported by 86 vehicles and five aircrafts.
