Latest news and stories about emergency services in daily life in Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
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.
There are no injuries to report.
The police officer was walking on the sand at Tamariz Beach, Cascais, when he heard a cry for help from an 85-year-old woman. He prevented her from being swept away after she fell into the water.
An off-duty police officer rescued an 85-year-old woman from drowning after she was swept into the sea by a wave at Tamariz beach in Estoril, Cascais. The incident occurred at The post Off-duty police officer rescues elderly woman from drowning at Cascais beach appeared first on Portugal Resident.
The victim was transported to São José Hospital.
As a precaution, some residents were evacuated from their homes, but there are no casualties or displaced persons to report. Explosions caused by gas cylinders were heard. The origin of the fire is yet to be determined.
The Lisbon Firefighters Regiment was alerted to the fire in the Lisbon neighbourhood at 17:30. Some residents were evacuated from their homes as a precaution.
Several residents were evacuated from their homes following the spread of the fire. Gas cylinders are believed to have caused explosions.
A team of young futsal players was being transported when the van they were travelling in went off the road. A 17-year-old youth died and another was seriously injured.
Torres Vedras has installed danger signs, escape routes, and safe zones at Santa Cruz beach. More beaches in the municipality will receive the same signage.
The flames are believed to have originated in an electric deep fryer, spreading rapidly to the extractor hood and reaching the building's roof.
The 12-day-old boy was saved by a sub-commissioner and two PSP officers.
The PSP commander of Agualva-Cacém, Sintra, recalls the tense moments he experienced while saving a 12-day-old boy, with the support of two officers.
The boy's parents arrived at the police station with the unconscious child. PSP officers performed life-saving manoeuvres.
On Friday, June 5, at 12:00, the 112 emergency service received a call claiming that an individual was holding students hostage at gunpoint in a classroom at a school in Belém, Lisbon. Police deployed significant resources, only to discover the threat was false. The caller, a 16-year-old boy, was arrested for the crime of abuse and simulation of danger signals. The Lisbon Metropolitan Command stated that the teenager confessed to making the call for trivial reasons, unaware of the consequences of his actions. He was released after being notified to appear before the judicial authorities. The police have warned against such acts, as they block vital emergency lines and waste resources.
A child and their parents were injured after the vehicle they were travelling in overturned in the centre of Sacavém.
There are 23 personnel on site, supported by eight vehicles. The alert was raised at 12:55 PM.
