Four operatives from the Odemira Volunteer Firefighters (GFA) involved in the accident that occurred on Wednesday night, in São Teotónio, county of Odemira, remain hospitalized in São José and Santa Maria hospitals, both in Lisbon, and Portimão.
In a condition considered critical and with a very guarded prognosis, having already undergone surgery, the element is admitted to the Hospital de São José (Lisbon).
The firefighter taken to the Santa Maria hospital unit also presents a very worrying health condition. The two elements who were transported to Portimão are in a serious situation, but less worrying, and only the victim, considered to be mild, and was transported to José Joaquim Fernandes Hospital, in Beja, was discharged yesterday morning.
When Lidador News (LN), very worried and emotionally damaged, Luis Oliveira, comandante dos GFA, stated that “the situation is very worrying. The man in São José presents a very delicate situation”, justified. When faced with the causes of the accident, he maintained that “they are being investigated by the authorities. It is a new vehicle received from the National Authority last year”, finished.
The accident occurred at about 20,20 hours of Wednesday, in São Teotónio, when the forestry firefighting vehicle returned to the barracks in Odemira, after fighting a fire in Savoy.
The vehicle was traveling on the access road to Boavista dos Pinheiros, and when describing a curve he ended up overturning, leaving the five occupants injured, aged 37 and 43 year old, three were imprisoned and two, those in the most serious condition, fallen outside the vehicle
The two victims, in a condition considered more serious, were helitransported to Lisbon, in an INEM aircraft from Loulé and two others by ambulance to Portimão accompanied by the medical emergency vehicle (VMER) from Hospital do Litoral Alentejano, located in Santiago do Cacém. The slightly injured person was also, transported by ambulance to the Beja hospital unit.
President of the Republic called Commander Luís Oliveira´
About the accident and the five injured firefighters, in addition to having written on the Presidency of the Republic's website that he is “monitoring, with concern, your state of health”, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, called the Odemira fire commander.
Luis Oliveira, told LN, that the President of the Republic “wanted to find out about the health status of our operatives and left us words of encouragement and encouragement, in addition to demonstrating your concern”, revealed.
Vehicles delivered by ANEPC upon request from the PRR
In March 2022, the LN revealed that through the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) the Ministry of Internal Affairs, via National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) would deliver vehicles to seven fire brigades in six municipalities in the Beja district.
Delivery only took place between June and October 2024 and six forestry firefighting vehicles were distributed (VFCI), to Odemira corporations, the person involved in the accident that left the five injured, Almodovar, Mértola, Moura, Ourique and Serpa, and a rural tactical tank vehicle (VTTR) to the corporation of Vila Nova de Milfontes.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
