Two fire trucks from the Paola detachment remained busy for several hours on the hill in front of the “San Francesco” hospital, where fires were set on trees and brush during the night. Thick black smoke enveloped the hospital for many hours, causing considerable discomfort and forcing all windows to be closed to prevent it from penetrating inside. The flames particularly threatened the hospital’s secondary entrance, near the pharmacy, workshop and dialysis unit. The situation was made even more serious by the risk that the tongues of fire could jeopardize the oxygen and medical gas cylinders positioned in the square on the sea side, right on the slopes of the hill. Thanks to the timely intervention of the firefighters, who pushed the flames away, the worst was avoided. Fires on the hill next to the hospital are unfortunately quite frequent. It is not clear whether those who set the fire perhaps did so to clear the ground or for other reasons.
The Democratic Party condemned the event. “I hope that the authors of this irresponsible gesture are identified”, declared the former regional councilor Graziano Di Natale”. And again: “It is necessary to maintain high attention in the coming days, since summer is often characterized by large fires on the hills and in the suburbs. Over the years, a real forest heritage has been destroyed, with hectares of Mediterranean scrub lost to man, who has transformed the territory into a Dantesque and infernal panorama”.
