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FIRE

800 people evacuated as wildfire rips through Spain’s Malaga province

Firefighters hampered by strong winds were battling to contain a wildfire in Spain's Costa del Sol on Thursday September 9th which forced the evacuation of 800 people, officials said.

Published: 9 September 2021 18:25 CEST
800 people evacuated as wildfire rips through Spain's Malaga province
People in Benahavis look at smoke columns rising from a wildfire in Sierra Bermeja mountain range in Malaga province, on September 9, 2021. - Almost a thousand people had to be evacuated preventively from their homes due to a forest fire in southern Spain, which firefighters continue to fight today, authorities reported. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)

About 250 firefighters backed by 26 water-dropping aircraft were battling the blaze which broke out late on Wednesday in the Sierra Bermeja mountains in the southern province of Malaga, the regional government of Andalusia said in a statement.

Emergency services said some 800 people were evacuated from their homes as a precaution, mainly from the municipality of Estepona, an area popular with British retirees and holidaymakers.

A helicopter is pictured from Benahavis as it overflies a wildfire in Sierra Bermeja mountain range in Malaga province.

Several told Spanish public television TVE they were given only minutes to leave by police.

Firefighters said strong winds, with gusts of up to 60kmh, dry conditions and the steep mountain slopes were making it difficult to put out the flames.

Smoke columns seen from Benahavis as they rise from a wildfire in Sierra Bermeja mountain range.

“Winds are getting stronger but luckily even though they are getting stronger, which will complicate the fire, they are coming from the west which moves the fire away from built-up areas,” the head of the Malaga firefighter division, Mr Manuel Marmolejo, told reporters.

Local officials suspect the blaze may have been deliberately started, as it broke out in several places at around the same time.

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FIRE

Situation ‘unstable’ at Copenhagen’s old stock exchange after fire

Three days after a fire which ravaged Copenhagen's historic former stock exchange broke out, emergency services said Friday that the situation was "unstable" due to equipment issues and a strong breeze.

Published: 19 April 2024 17:44 CEST
Situation 'unstable' at Copenhagen's old stock exchange after fire

In the morning, during work to dismantle the scaffolding surrounding the building, a crane’s cutters came loose for as of yet unknown reasons.

It is currently wedged between the scaffolding — put up for the renovation of the historic building that was ongoing — and what remains of the walls.

“It is affecting our efforts”, Tim Ole Simonsen, leader of the operation at the rescue services, told a press conference.

Coupled with the wind picking up, the incident, which has temporarily halted work on dismantling the scaffolding, has made the situation “unstable”.

“The wind is blowing harder and harder, and there are tarps over the scaffolding that can catch the wind,” Simonsen said.

He added that this increases the risks, in particular of further collapse of the burnt-out facade which started collapsing late Thursday afternoon.

Located close to the Christiansborg parliament and seat of government, the Borsen building was commissioned by King Christian IV and built between 1619 and 1640. It was the stock exchange until the 1970s.

The fire began Tuesday morning under the copper roof of the building, which was undergoing renovations ahead of its 400th anniversary.

The cause of the blaze was unknown and Copenhagen police said Wednesday that a major investigation had been launched.

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