Latest news and stories about emergency services in daily life in Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
Emergency departments are facing significant overcrowding as urgent patients endure long wait times, driven by a shortage of family doctors, extreme heat, and post-holiday surges.
A fire in Oeiras has mobilised 43 personnel as the region remains under high alert, while other major fires in Vouzela are now contained but monitored for potential reignition.
A fire broke out at the DHL company warehouses in Alverca, in the Vialonga area. This is the second time this month that the facilities have been affected.
A fire originating in a barbecue area on Rua Morais Soares in Lisbon's Arroios district was successfully extinguished, leading to temporary traffic closures and precautionary building evacuations.
Eight individuals received medical treatment for smoke inhalation following a hotel fire in Lisbon that was reported at 04:30 and successfully extinguished by 05:06.
Around 1,200 individuals have been displaced in mainland Portugal due to severe flooding, particularly in the Central region. The evacuations were carried out as a preventive measure, affecting areas such as Beira Baixa, Coimbra, Leiria, and the Lisbon area.
The arrival of Depression Marta is expected to bring heavy rain to Lisbon and Setúbal, with the most concerning period being between morning and early afternoon. Areas already facing complications may experience the worst impacts as this is the third depression to hit the region in a short span of time.
A man was shot dead inside a car in Queluz, Sintra, after being hit multiple times by gunfire. The PSP reports witnesses described the weapon as an automatic, military‑calibre firearm; the Polícia Judiciária has opened an investigation. Authorities are treating the incident as a serious public‑safety matter while enquiries continue.
At 03:23 an explosion at a building under construction in Algés damaged nearby vehicles and neighbouring homes. The cause has not yet been established and authorities are investigating; emergency services responded to secure the site and assess injuries and structural risks. Analytically, investigators will likely examine sources such as gas leaks, construction materials or workmanship failures, while officials must prioritise resident safety, site stabilization and a transparent inquiry into regulatory compliance.
By 20:00 mainland Portugal had recorded 713 incidents linked to severe weather, concentrated in the North region and Lisbon and the Tagus Valley. A landslide in Porto Salvo put a home at risk and prompted authorities to rehouse one family in Oeiras; emergency services managed widespread calls and localised interventions. The figures underline pressure on local emergency capacity and highlight continued public-safety and accommodation challenges as adverse conditions persist.
Lisbon firefighters' union says the Regimento de Sapadores Bombeiros de Lisboa (RSBL) is in 'utter disarray', citing delays in promotions, organisational failures and that more than 10% of operational personnel lack proper uniforms. Staff are considering issuing a pre-strike notice as a warning that industrial action could follow if complaints over safety, logistics and career progression are not resolved. The union warns these problems undermine emergency response and public safety and is calling for urgent management and municipal intervention.
A man has been remanded in custody after a 9-year-old boy died and a 14-year-old was injured when a shotgun allegedly discharged accidentally in the Bela Vista neighbourhood. Authorities say the weapon belonged to a family member; investigators remain on the scene and the case is being examined for possible criminal negligence and safety lapses, prompting questions about firearm storage and emergency response protocols.
The PSP (Public Security Police) have identified around 30 people after shots were fired with prohibited weapons in Lisbon. A targeted operation — involving Rapid Intervention Teams and Traffic Division units — ran from 22:00 Friday to 02:00 Saturday; no incidents were recorded and no arrests were made. Enquiries and investigations remain ongoing as police follow up on those linked to the discharges.
Four gynaecology and obstetrics emergency departments have been closed. In Amadora‑Sintra only the gynaecology emergency department is shut; meanwhile the general emergency at Hospital Fernando Fonseca (Amadora‑Sintra) reported a three‑hour wait for patients classed as very urgent as of 20:00, according to the SNS Portal. Santa Maria recorded a two‑and‑a‑half‑hour wait for very urgent cases, and Hospital de Loures topped the waiting‑time list with around three‑hour waits for urgent patients.
The fire that broke out in a brush area is in the final stages of being extinguished. Four people were injured, and two of them were taken to the hospital.
A brush fire in the parish of Agualva and Mira-Sintra (Sintra municipality) has mobilised 152 firefighters and one aerial unit. The flames are not currently near any homes.
Two people were evaluated due to anxiety and smoke inhalation.
A fire broke out at the iconic Café Nicola in Lisbon, resulting in three people being injured.
A fire broke out at Café Nicola in Lisbon, leaving three people injured. The fire has been declared extinguished, but emergency crews remain on-site to ventilate the building.
Dozens of firefighters battled a fire this Thursday, September 10, at Café Nicola in Rossio, in the heart of downtown Lisbon, reports CNN Portugal. The alert was raised at 15:10 and forced the evacuation of a Bank of Portugal building, specifically the one housing the canteen, although it was not affected. About 30 personnel were on site, supported by ten vehicles from the Lisbon Fire Department. The iconic establishment was full of customers when the fire started, and there are reports of three people with minor injuries due to smoke inhalation, who were transported to São José Hospital, according to Correio da Manhã. The fire started on the -3 floor of the café and was declared extinguished at 15:58. The Judiciary Police have been called in and are investigating the circumstances of the incident. A process has been initiated to classify Café Nicola in Lisbon as a heritage site.
The fire broke out during this Thursday afternoon. Dozens of firefighters from the Lisbon Sapadores Regiment were mobilised to the scene.
The alert for the fire was given at 15:10 and led to the evacuation of a Banco de Portugal building. Firefighters remain on site for mop-up operations.
Smoke also forced the evacuation of the Bank of Portugal building's canteen, located near Café Nicola.
