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ISSUE NO. 1781
22 - 28 August 2019
Newspaper in Spain 2017 & 2018
COSTA DEL SOL
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
BLAZE: Fire took two days to bring under control.
By Dilip Kuner A FIRE that raged across the Estepona countryside was brought under control yesterday, but not before hundreds of people were evacuated. As the sun rose yesterday morning efforts were redoubled with 170 firefighters on the ground joined by four fire engines plus 10 helicopters and planes. The blaze started at just before noon on Monday in the PeĂąas Blancas area of the municipality and rapidly spread in the hot, dry conditions. Sources say 144 people spent Monday night in the sports hall of El Carmen, Estepona, after being evacuated as a precautionary measure. Emergency services ordered the evacuation of 42 homes in the areas of the River PadrĂłn and Tejilla and about 150 prop-
Hundreds evacuated in Estepona fire erties in the Forest Hill and Alberdina-Las Abejeras urbanisations. Initially it had been feared the Puente Romano urbanisation, Loma del Monte and the Selwo Safari theme park might have to be cleared too, but in the end it was decided it was not necessary.
In total 240 forest firefighters and 22 air assets worked in shifts to contain the fire. By yesterday morning the fire was controlled and some residents were allowed to return to their homes, but at time of going to press there were still 150 firefighters and four aircraft damping down and on their guard
against the flames flaring up again. A Frenchman resident in the area has been accused of negligently starting the fire when he tried to destroy a wasps nest. He was arrested and has since been released by Estepona court on unconditional bail. Sources say he is a long-time resident.
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