More than 700 holidaymakers evacuated: Maria D. wanted to save her horses and died in the flames

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A new heat wave ensures that Sicily cannot calm down. Intense forest fires are raging on the Mediterranean island, killing two people while fighting the blaze. One of them is Maria D.* (†42) from Cefalù, a small town in the north of the island. She owned a family property of six horses. When the flames surprised her stable, she tried to save the horses together with her brother and father.

She could no longer escape the flames. She sacrificed her own life for the horses. “Your generosity will never be forgotten,” wrote Michela Brambilla, Regional Representative for Animal Rights. But the tragedy is not over yet: ‘Scilla’, one of the foals rescued by Maria D., died just two days after the incident. It succumbed to its burns. “He can now gallop with Maria in heaven,” says the attending veterinarian.

More than 700 tourists were evacuated

The fire has so far claimed another human life in addition to Maria D. In Trappeto, a coastal town near the island capital Palermo, a man died while trying to evacuate his home. The police announced this on Saturday.

More than 700 holidaymakers also had to be evacuated from a hotel and taken to safety. However, according to regional authorities, they have already been able to return. A building on the university campus in Palermo was also evacuated.

Firefighting aircraft are in constant use

The fires are particularly intense in the north of the islands. Several schools had to be closed and part of the island’s highway was closed. The more than 50 fires were caused by high temperatures of over 35 degrees and extreme drought.

The hot Scirocco wind from Africa also intensifies the fires and makes extinguishing work more difficult. The wind always causes problems on the Italian island in the Mediterranean. The rescuers were constantly using fire-fighting aircraft. (jl)

* Name of the editor known

Source: Blick