Family destroyed in Vila Nova de Milfontes in explosion of acetylene bottles that were in an annex where the man, one of the seriously injured, did welding services to earn more support for the family.
The explosion, apparently caused by a gas leak in an annex where there were acetylene bottles, what happened yesterday, around 8:30 am, in Brunheiras, Vila Nova de Milfontes parish (Odemira), was heard more than 20 kilometers from the town, Completely destroyed a single-family house and caused the death of mother and daughter and caused serious injuries to father and son.
The causes of the explosion that occurred at a place about 7 kilometers north of Milfontes, on the connection to Cercal do Alentejo (SetĂşbal), are being investigated by inspectors from the Criminal Investigation Department (DIC) of PortimĂŁo of the Judiciary Police (PJ), who sent a team to the location after the GNR contacted the PJ.
Has learned the Lidador News (LN), in an annex to the house, where the family patriarch did some welding work, there were acetylene gas bottles that may have caused the explosion. A source specializing in gas told our newspaper that “acetylene causes violent and devastating effects, I would almost say apocalyptic”, summed up.
The Santos family lived in the residence that was devastated by the explosion., having a mother, of 48 year old, and daughter, of 9 year old, were the fatal victims who were buried under the rubble of the building, while the father, of 54 year old, and the son, of 13 year old, were heliborne, for the University Hospital Center of Coimbra and Dona Estefânia Hospital, in Lisbon, respectively.
Given the seriousness of the situation, two INEM helicopters were mobilized immediately, having landed on the land where the Brunheiras market takes place, not far from the place where the explosion occurred. While searching for the two missing women, Father and son were stabilized in the firefighters' ambulances so they could be helitransported. The boy was transported to Lisbon hospital, in the INEM helicopter based in Évora, while the man went to Coimbra on another INEM aircraft based in Loulé.
Tiago Bugio, commander of the Sub-Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command for the Alentejo Coast (CBREPCLT) explained that “the first local firefighters from Milfontes and Odemira were quick to arrive at the scene and what was found was a scene of enormous devastation with the complete destruction of the house built in masonry. The cause of the explosion was probably caused by a gas leak.”, concluded.
The CBREPCLT commander added that despite the mobilization of a search and rescue team from the Grândola firefighters,, “With due care and using two backhoes that were nearby and the help of pollution, it was possible to begin the search for the missing women”, confirming that mother and daughter were found dead. Death confirmed by the doctor in the emergency and resuscitation medical vehicle (VMER) from Hospital do Litoral Alentejano, in Santiago do Cacém.
Turn, Francisco Lampreia, President of the Parish of Vila Nova de Milfontes Board, stated that “it was a good house built, but gas is very dangerous. Despite the devastation, there is no damage to other neighboring homes. There was a heavy vehicle that was hit by some debris in the fuel tank, but without causing danger.”, finished.
In the early afternoon and after the collection of evidence by the PJ, the debris began to be removed by workers from the municipality of Odemira, under the watchful eye of the GNR to safeguard any evidence that could be found.
The bodies of the fatal victims were transported to the Beja Medical-Legal Office, where they were admitted at around 4:30 p.m., which will be autopsied. As Odemira belongs judicially to the District of Beja, when deaths involve police investigations, are not taken to the Hospital do Litoral Alentejano.
For the site were mobilized 56 Operations of the Vila Nova de Milfontes Volunteer Firefighters, Odemira and Cercal do Alentejo, VMER of Hospital do Litoral Alentejano and GNR, supported by 19 INEM vehicles and two aerial assets.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
