Fires at the “San Francesco” hospital: fight against the flames to protect health.

The danger of fires near the hospital puts safety and the environment at risk.

Two fire trucks from the Paola detachment intervened urgently during the night on the hill in front of the “San Francesco” hospital, where trees and brushwood had been set on fire. Thick black smoke enveloped the entire hospital for several hours, causing considerable disruption and forcing all windows to be closed to prevent it from penetrating inside.

The flames reached the secondary entrance of the hospital, near the pharmacy, the workshop and the dialysis area. The situation was particularly critical as the tongues of fire threatened the oxygen and medical gas tanks in the square on the sea side, right behind the hill. Fortunately, thanks to the rapid and courageous intervention of the firefighters, it was possible to remove the imminent danger.

The fires on the hill next to the hospital are not an isolated phenomenon, they are quite frequent. It remains unclear whether the perpetrators act to free up fresh grass for grazing, but this in no way justifies the devastating effects they have on safety and the surrounding environment.

The Democratic Party has strongly condemned the incident, with former regional councilor Graziano Di Natale expressing the hope that those responsible will be identified and punished for such a dangerous and harmful gesture.

Attention to the fire risk will remain high in the coming days, especially during the summer when large fires on the hills and in the suburbs are unfortunately a sad constant. These fires have already destroyed a considerable forest heritage, with hectares of Mediterranean scrub having been lost. It is irreparable damage to the fragile ecosystem of the Tyrrhenian coast, altering the natural balance and threatening the local flora and fauna.

The sad and repetitive story of the summer fires must find a definitive solution through an effective environmental protection policy, in order to counter the senselessness and cruelty of the arsonists who continue to jeopardize our environment and our safety.