PM, president express “profound consternation”
Firefighter Dinis Campos Conceição died this morning in Lisbon’s São José Hospital as a result of injuries received in an accident in Odemira on Wednesday.
Both the prime minister and president Marcelo have expressed their ‘profound consternation’ – the latter having said previously that he was following the progress of the five firefighters involved in the crash, which did not involve any other vehicles.
Conceição, 38, was a resident of the parish of São Luís, and had been part of the Odemira fire brigade for around 20 years. He was part of one of the municipality’s ‘permanent intervention teams’.
As to the circumstances behind this tragedy, it appears to have resulted from the fire engine ‘getting out of control’.
“They had done their work, and were returning home”, president of the Humanitarian Association of Volunteer Firefighters of Odemira told Lusa (their work having been to intervene in an authorised fire in Saboia).
All five were injured, three much more so than the others. Two, for example, have already been discharged from hospital, in spite of having suffered head and facial injuries. The two others more seriously injured are in Lisbon’s Santa Maria Hospital and Portimão Hospital: the one in Santa Maria is being treated for “a haematoma on his head”, but it is believed that he is doing ‘relatively better’, while the one in Portimão has undergone surgery for a fractured femur.
In a statement published today on social media, the Portuguese Firefighters’ League expressed its regret at the death of their former colleague, saying “despite the medical care he received, he died today as a result of the seriousness of his injuries”.
In Odemira, the Humanitarian Association of Volunteer Firefighters wrote also over social media: “We would like to inform you of the painful news that one of our team members has passed away: operative Dinis Campos Conceição, who died this morning as a result of an accident on the 1st.
“DINIS CONCEIÇÃO PRESENT!
“As soon as we have more details about the funeral ceremonies, we will let everyone know.
The Social Bodies, Employees, Command Staff, Active Staff and Honour Roll of the Odemira AHBV send their heartfelt condolences to the family of our Dinis”.
A total of 39 operatives were mobilised for the accident, supported by 16 vehicles and a helicopter, from various fire brigades, the GNR and the National Institute for Medical Emergency.
The Alentejo Litoral Sub-Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command was also at the scene.
Source material: LUSA
