HUNDREDS of firefighters battled blazes in central Portugal on Wednesday as the funerals of some of the 64 people killed in the inferno renewed anger over the emergency response to the disaster. Questions swirled over how so many people could have died in the forest fire, most of whom perished on a single road that locals say should have been sealed off by first responders.

From early Wednesday, firefighting planes flew sorties over the smouldering forest canopy in the central Pedrogao Grande region, dropping water on the flames still licking pine and eucalyptus trees, according to an AFP journalist on the scene. The head of the region’s civil protection services Vitor Vaz Pinto told reporters that 95 per cent of the fire had been extinguished. Officials have expressed concerns that some residents are refusing to leave homes threatened by the flames. Authorities now believe more than 200 people were injured in the blaze at the weekend.

Details were emerging of the victims, many of whom were caught in their cars as they tried to flee. They included a four-year-old boy, Rodrigo. His parents had left with him with relatives while on honeymoon and posted frantic messages on social media. The bodies of Rodrigo and his uncle were found burnt beside a car. Most were killed on the N236 national highway, now dubbed the “road of death” by local media. Prime Minister Antonio Costa has questioned why the N236 had not been closed to traffic, and has sought explanations into why the emergency services communications network had been interrupted. The first funerals began late Tuesday not far from the still-burning forest. A large crowd gathered in the tiny hamlet of Sarzedas de San Pedro to bury six victims.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2017