The Prime Minister mentioned this Saturday the memory of the victims of the Pedrogan Grande fires in 2017, the day six years have passed since the tragedy, indicating that the tribute will take place on a date to be chosen by the municipality.
“Not a single year passes that would make us forget the tragedy of the 2017 fires. Let’s bow to the memory of the victims and always respect the pain of the families,” the prime minister said in a series of tweets. in which he recalls the tragedy that claimed the lives of 66 people.
The Prime Minister also notes that “remembrance must, above all, revive the determination to continue the work on the structural reform of forestry and remember the responsibility of everyone” to prevent the danger of fires.
António Costa also mentions a memorial for the victims of the 2017 fires, designed by architect Souto Moura, which was opened to the public on Thursday without an official opening ceremony.
“Since the work designed by Eduardo Souto Moura is completed this week, on a day to be chosen by the city council and in agreement with the families, we must constantly honor those we have lost,” the head of government stressed.
On Thursday, Infraestruturas de Portugal announced the opening to the public of the Memorial to the Victims of the 2017 Fires.
The memorial is located next to the national road 236-1, in the Pobreis area, Pedrogan Grande (Leiria), and consists of a lake and a wall that bears the names of 115 victims of the forest fires in June and October 2017.
This Saturday marks six years since fires broke out in Pedrogan Grande on 17 June 2017 and spread to neighboring municipalities, killing 66 people and injuring 253 others, seven of them seriously. The fires also destroyed about half a thousand homes and 50 businesses.
Most of the fatal victims were found on Estrada Nacional (EN) 236-1, which connects Castaneira de Pera and Figueiro dos Viños, next to which there is a memorial.
In October of the same year, other fires in the Central District killed 49 people and injured about 70, while about 1,500 houses and more than 500 businesses were completely or partially destroyed.