Fire in via Rioli, the flames reach the houses

A large fire spread to some land in the Via di Rioli area in Velletri, near the fruit and vegetable market, late on Friday afternoon. The flames, fueled by the wind and high temperatures, quickly reached some homes, creating moments of great apprehension among residents.
The Fire Brigade, supported by the Civil Protection of Velletri and Genzano, were involved in extinguishing operations from approximately 6pm to 8pm. The fire, of considerable size, required the intervention of a regional Civil Protection helicopter, which made numerous trips to release water on the flames. Furthermore, a tank supplied by the Fire Brigade, usually used in large-scale fire situations, was filled and used to facilitate extinguishing operations. Thanks to these joint efforts, the fire was finally put out, avoiding major damage to the surrounding homes.
The thick smoke released by the fire has caused great concern among citizens. A resident of via delle Mura (near via Rioli ed.) recounted her experience on social media: «The smoke entered my house, I didn’t understand anything. I live in Via delle Mura and I only saw the smoke.” These testimonies highlight the climate of fear and uncertainty experienced by the community during the rescue operations. Local police officers are also on site and are now carrying out investigations.
The episode has reignited the debate on the need for greater preventive measures to avoid the risk of fires, especially in periods of strong heat.
The timely and coordinated intervention of the emergency teams prevented the fire from causing irreparable damage, but the alert remains high in the community of Velletri.