This Monday, the Prime Minister remembered the victims of the fires in Pedrogão Grande, Castanheira de Pera and Figueiro dos Vinhos in 2017 and expressed his determination that “these territories will not sink into oblivion.”
On the day that seven years have passed since the fire that started in Pedrogan Grande (Leiria district) and killed 66 people, Luis Montenegro remembered this date with a message on social networks.
“Today is a day of remembrance for the victims and families affected by this tragedy. And to reinforce obligations so that this does not happen again and these territories do not fall into oblivion,” the head of government said.
The fire, which broke out on June 17, 2017 in Pedrogan Grande and spread to neighboring municipalities, resulted in the deaths of 66 people and more than 250 injuries, seven of them serious, and destroyed half a thousand houses and 50 businesses.
In October of the same year, other fires in the central region killed 49 people and injured about 70, while completely or partially destroying about 1,500 homes and more than 500 businesses.
This year, the President of the Republic decided to celebrate the Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese communities in three municipalities of the Leiria district affected by the fires of 2017: Pedrogão Grande, Figueiro dos Vinhos and Castanheira de Pera. On June 10 he joined Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.