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RAGING INFERNO

Cops arrest several ‘arsonists’ after three killed and 1,000 forced to flee terrifying wildfires on Portuguese holiday island of Madeira

Tourist city of Funchal devastated, while blazes also tear through mainland Portugal

HUNDREDS of people have been evacuated and three are confirmed dead after wildfires tore through the Portuguese holiday island of Madeira.

More than 1,000 residents and tourists were forced to flee as the flames destroyed houses and businesses in the island’s capital, Funchal.

Terrifying wildfires have been tearing across the Portuguese holiday island of Madeira, destroying everything in their path
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Terrifying wildfires have been tearing across the Portuguese holiday island of Madeira, destroying everything in their pathCredit: LUSA
Firefighters have been battling the flames as they spread across the countryside and reached the island's capital, Funchal
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Firefighters have been battling the flames as they spread across the countryside and reached the island's capital, FunchalCredit: AP:Associated Press
Desperate residents have been seen trying to defend their homes from the inferno using garden hoses and buckets of water
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Desperate residents have been seen trying to defend their homes from the inferno using garden hoses and buckets of waterCredit: AP:Associated Press
Up to 1,000 people have been evacuated from their homes to save them from the approaching fires
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Up to 1,000 people have been evacuated from their homes to save them from the approaching firesCredit: AP:Associated Press

And cops have now confirmed they have arrested several suspected arsonists in connection with the blazes.

A 24-year-old man was arrested yesterday, accused of starting the fire deliberately in the São Roque Mountains, just outside Funchal.

Local media say sources have told how the suspect has a criminal record for arson offences.

As well as the three killed, hundreds have been treated for injuries, including smoke inhalation and burns.

Around 80 of those remain in hospital, including two who are in a serious condition.

Authorities also confirmed that all of those killed and injured were local residents.

The flames were even reported to have reached Funchal's historical centre, which is particularly popular with tourists
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The flames were even reported to have reached Funchal's historical centre, which is particularly popular with touristsCredit: Getty Images
Pictures show firefighters desperately trying to save the old buildings which attract thousands to the area every year
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Pictures show firefighters desperately trying to save the old buildings which attract thousands to the area every yearCredit: Getty Images
Pictures taken today show old buildings in the Sao Pedro historic quarter of the city burnt out
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Pictures taken today show old buildings in the Sao Pedro historic quarter of the city burnt outCredit: LUSA
Officials said 174 people have been receiving medical treatment for smoke inhalation and burns
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Officials said 174 people have been receiving medical treatment for smoke inhalation and burnsCredit: Reuters
The island - located near the Canaries - attracts thousands of Brit tourists to its shores every year
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The island - located near the Canaries - attracts thousands of Brit tourists to its shores every yearCredit: Getty Images
The summer heat and a lack of rain have created the perfect conditions for the flames to spread freely
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The summer heat and a lack of rain have created the perfect conditions for the flames to spread freelyCredit: AP:Associated Press
As residents battled the blazes, Regional President Albuquerque said cooler temperatures forecast for today were expected to ease the situation
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As residents battled the blazes, Regional President Albuquerque said cooler temperatures forecast for today were expected to ease the situationCredit: Reuters

 

Local media are reporting that an elderly woman is among the dead after her home in Funchal caught fire.

And two others are also thought to have perished in their houses.

Around 40 homes and a five star hotel were among the buildings destroyed in the city.

Flames even tore through Funchal's famous historical centre, which is particularly popular with tourists.

Pictures showed firefighters battling to save the beautiful old buildings which attract thousands to the area every year.

 

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Panicked locals were seen using garden hoses and buckets of water in a desperate attempt to defend their homes and livelihoods from the baying inferno.

Strong winds fanning the flames helped to keep up a steady stream of black smoke, causing disruption at the island’s airport.

Madeira – close to the Canary Islands, off Africa’s northwest coast – attracts thousands of Brit tourists every year.

Holidaymakers from the UK and other countries around the world come to see the island’s beautiful countryside and enjoy the year-round sunny climate.

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At least 27 homes have been destroyed in Madeira, and at least 174 people treated for injuries

Firefighters have said the lack of rain, high temperatures and strong winds have created the perfect conditions for the flames to spread
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Firefighters have said the lack of rain, high temperatures and strong winds have created the perfect conditions for the flames to spreadCredit: Reuters
The thick, black smoke being fanned by the wind has also caused disruption at the island's airport
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The thick, black smoke being fanned by the wind has also caused disruption at the island's airportCredit: Getty Images
Desperate locals could be seen battling to keep the inferno at bay using anything they could get their hands on
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Desperate locals could be seen battling to keep the inferno at bay using anything they could get their hands onCredit: AP:Associated Press
Officials said the steep hills and dense forests of Madeira's countryside have made the blaze near-impossible to tackle
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Officials said the steep hills and dense forests of Madeira's countryside have made the blaze near-impossible to tackleCredit: Reuters

But the summer heat and a lack of recent rain have made Madeira’s forests a tinderbox.

And firefighters have said the steep hills and dense woodland hampered efforts to tackle the blaze.

Regional governor Miguel Albuquerque said today that the fire in Funchal was finally under control.

But several other blazes are still raging elsewhere on the island, he added.

More than 3,200 firefighters are currently battling wildfires across Portugal, including the mainland
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More than 3,200 firefighters are currently battling wildfires across Portugal, including the mainlandCredit: Reuters
Dramatic pictures showed terrified people, blackened by smoke, fleeing their homes as the flames approached
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Dramatic pictures showed terrified people, blackened by smoke, fleeing their homes as the flames approachedCredit: Reuters
Pictures from today show the shocking aftermath of the inferno which ripped through the island
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Pictures from today show the shocking aftermath of the inferno which ripped through the islandCredit: LUSA
Exhausted firefighters were seen pausing for rest after battling the relentless flames throughout the night
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Exhausted firefighters were seen pausing for rest after battling the relentless flames throughout the nightCredit: LUSA
A fireman hoses down the smouldering remains of a destroyed house in the city of Funchal
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A fireman hoses down the smouldering remains of a destroyed house in the city of FunchalCredit: LUSA
Local resident Avelino Viveiros returned to inspect the smouldering remains of his home in Curral dos Romeiros, Madeira
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Local resident Avelino Viveiros returned to inspect the smouldering remains of his home in Curral dos Romeiros, MadeiraCredit: Reuters

The Portuguese mainland has also been hit by a series of devastating wildfires, with one person killed in the central Santarem region.

The National Civil Protection service said more than 3,200 firefighters supported by 24 water-dumping planes and 955 vehicles were fending off 106 blazes across the country.

At least eleven major fires, located mainly in the north of mainland Portugal, were said to be burning out of control yesterday.

Temperatures of up to 35C in the area have created similar conditions to those on Madeira.

Shocking pictures have shown the extent of the damage in places where the fires have been put out
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Shocking pictures have shown the extent of the damage in places where the fires have been put outCredit: Getty Images
24 water-dumping planes and 955 vehicles were called in to fight 106 blazes across Portugal
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24 water-dumping planes and 955 vehicles were called in to fight 106 blazes across PortugalCredit: Getty Images
A man can be seen carrying gas cylinders away from the flames at Curral dos Romeiros, Funchal
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A man can be seen carrying gas cylinders away from the flames at Curral dos Romeiros, FunchalCredit: Getty Images
People covered their faces with whatever they could to try and protect against the choking black smoke
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People covered their faces with whatever they could to try and protect against the choking black smokeCredit: Reuters
Smoke could be seen billowing out above the hotels and villas of the popular tourist city of Funchal
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Smoke could be seen billowing out above the hotels and villas of the popular tourist city of FunchalCredit: LUSA
Vehicles, homes and businesses were all destroyed by the blazes in Madeira (pictured) and across Portugal
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Vehicles, homes and businesses were all destroyed by the blazes in Madeira (pictured) and across PortugalCredit: Reuters

The region’s pine and eucalyptus forests have made the perfect fuel, with dead wood littering the floor.

An emergency was declared in the northern region of Porto, where 500 firefighters were said to be battling no fewer than 35 blazes earlier in the week.

And the country's Interior Ministry today said it had requested help from the EU - with Spain sending two planes and Italy one aircraft to help combat the fires.

Portuguese PM Antonio Costa said: "This abnormal situation surpasses the normal response capacity of our forces."

Brit diplomats to assist tourists caught in blaze

By GERARD COUZENS

BRITISH diplomats were due to arrive in fire-ravaged Madeira yesterday evening to assist tourists caught up in the disaster. Britain’s Ambassador to Portugal Kirsty Hayes told regional government officials she was sending consular staff to the island in a phone call in which she expressed her “consternation and solidarity” following the devastating fires.
The two British Embassy representatives were due to touch down around 7pm local time.
They are expected to meet with British holidaymakers who were among guests evacuated from a boutique hotel overnight and put up temporarily in a sports stadium.
Local authorities allowed guests back to the 81-room Castanheiro Boutique Hotel yesterday morning.
A receptionist at the four-star hotel in the heart of the capital Funchal’s historic area said they had “some British guests but not many.”
British holidaymakers staying at the five-star Choupana Hills Resort and Spa, which was completely destroyed by fire after being evacuated, have been relocated at other hotels on the island.
Regional officials were not able to say how many Brits had been affected but said all the guests at the luxury hotel had been offered complementary tours of the island for the inconvenience they had suffered and were staying at other “emblematic hotels.”
Three people died and nearly 400 people were hospitalised as blazes swept across the holiday island and reached Funchal on Tuesday.
Around a thousand people were evacuated from their homes.
Regional government officials said yesterday tourist activity on Madeira was now returning to normal after a “difficult night.”
A spokesman said in a press release: “It was a difficult night for some hotels, specifically in the municipalities of Funchal and Calheta.
“Teams from the Madeira Regional Tourism Board and the Madeira Promotion Bureau were, from the first moment and throughout the night, on the ground, accompanying tourists who needed to be evacuated from their hotels and trying to minimise the impact of this situation.
“Their presence was reinforced by several volunteers and by hotel representatives in a show of unprecedented solidarity which was well received by visitors.”
The spokesman also said the flight situation at the island airport was back to normal after.
A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London was unable to offer any immediate information on what the two consular officials would be doing in Madeira.
Most of Madeira’s foreign tourism is concentrated in areas which were unaffected by fire.
Regional officials said the dead and injured were locals and they had no reports of any British casualties.


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