A firefighter from the Covilhã Fire Department died this Sunday, August 17, following a road accident while en route to a fire that broke out in the locality of Quinta do Campo, in Fundão. António Nunes, president of the Liga dos Bombeiros Portugueses (LPB), refrained from confirming the death of a second firefighter, which had been reported by major news outlets and highlighted on the LPB’s social media.
The second firefighter from the Covilhã Fire Department, seriously injured in the road accident, is undergoing surgery, as reported by the Liga dos Bombeiros to news agency Lusa this evening.
An official source from the Liga, responsible for communication, initially informed Lusa of a confirmation regarding a second firefighter’s death but amended the information around 10:20 p.m., clarifying that Civil Protection indicated the victim was in surgery at that time.
Civil Protection also relayed similar information to Lusa at the same time.
A firefighter from the Covilhã Fire Department, severely injured today in a road accident in that municipality with an operational vehicle, en route to a rural fire, is undergoing surgery, the Liga dos Bombeiros reported.
Lusa | 23:06 – 17/08/2025
In a statement published on social media—later edited—the Liga dos Bombeiros Portugueses lamented the loss of the firefighters: “The Liga dos Bombeiros Portugueses (LBP) mourns the loss of two firefighters from the Covilhã Volunteer Fire Department and the serious injuries sustained by the other members, who were involved in the vehicle rollover while heading to fight the fires.”
“The LBP will soon issue a statement but already sends deep condolences to the families of the deceased firefighters and to the Humanitarian Association of Covilhã Volunteer Firefighters,” the statement continued.
According to the Civil Protection Sub-Regional Command for Beiras and Serra da Estrela, the accident occurred in the village of São Francisco de Assis, in the municipality of Covilhã, in the district of Castelo Branco, which also includes the municipality of Fundão.
The National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) confirmed, this evening, in a statement sent to newsrooms, the death of one firefighter from Covilhã, with four others sustaining injuries in a road accident on their way to a fire in the municipality of Fundão this Sunday.
In the note, ANEPC stated that “a firefighter from the Covilhã Fire Department died today, August 17, as a result of a road accident at 7:10 p.m., while responding to the fire that broke out in the locality of Quinta do Campo, Fundão.”
A firefighter died and four others were injured in an accident in the village of São Francisco de Assis, in the municipality of Covilhã. According to Civil Protection, the injured are being rescued.
Márcia Guímaro Rodrigues | 19:51 – 17/08/2025
This marks the second death recorded this year in rural fires. On Friday, a former mayor of Vila Franca do Deão, in the municipality of Guarda (and a candidate in this year’s local elections for the parish presidency), died at 43 while combating the flames.
[Updated at 11:10 p.m.]
See Also: Marcelo sends condolences to the family of Covilhã firefighter
