A firefighter who lost his fiancée and brother-in-law in a September fire that resulted in the deaths of three members of the Vila Nova de Oliveirinha fire brigade in Tábua has accused the government of failing to provide support.
In an emotional interview on the SIC program ‘Júlia’, Francisco Cunha, who survived the blaze, expressed disappointment that he only received psychological support at the time of the tragedy.
Six months after the incident, neither the survivors nor the families of the deceased have received further assistance.
“In the beginning, everything seems very supportive. There was psychological support… initially. But today, if I want it, I have to seek it out myself. Anything from the Central Government vanished. They never called me again: ‘Francisco, are you okay? Do you need anything?’ It’s not just about what I lost, for Sónia. It’s also about what I experienced. I saw my own death. I had to flee. I lived through the moment, and I think people forget that,” he emphasized.
Francisco stated, “The government needs to think, needs to create teams for the aftermath. It’s not just about the beginning. Initially, there’s a lot of help […]. But as time goes on, there’s nothing.”
“Be it me, Sónia’s mother, Sónia’s sister, or the five GNR officers who also died. They also had families. We are people… we are human, we need help,” he added, noting that “if it weren’t for those around us, no one would care about us.”
Clearly emotional, the firefighter admitted being haunted by “the sea of flames” and “even the smell.” “The eucalyptus, the smoke. Everything I experienced stays vividly in my memory. It haunts me every minute. I will never forget,” he concluded.
The firefighter managed to escape with his life, along with other colleagues.
