{"id":329181,"date":"2017-06-18T08:43:23","date_gmt":"2017-06-18T08:43:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=329181"},"modified":"2017-06-18T08:43:23","modified_gmt":"2017-06-18T08:43:23","slug":"portugal-forest-fires-kill-43-near-coimbra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/06\/portugal-forest-fires-kill-43-near-coimbra\/","title":{"rendered":"Portugal forest fires kill 43 near Coimbra"},"content":{"rendered":"
A catastrophic forest fire in Portugal has claimed at least 43 lives, officials say.<\/p>\n
Many died while trying to flee the Pedr\u00f3g\u00e3o Grande area, 50 km (30 miles) south-east of Coimbra, in their cars, according to the government.<\/p>\n
Several firefighters are among the 59 people injured.<\/p>\n
“Unfortunately this seems to be the greatest tragedy we have seen in recent years in terms of forest fires,” said Prime Minister Antonio Costa.<\/p>\n
The death toll could rise further, he said.<\/p>\n
Secretary of State for the Interior Jorge Gomes said that three people died from smoke inhalation and 18 people travelling in four cars died on the road linking Figueir\u00f3 dos Vinhos to Castanheira de Pera.<\/p>\n