Latest news and stories about emergency services in Vila Franca de Xira, 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 group of 13 mayors from the Lisbon and Setúbal regions are requesting urgent parliamentary hearings to oppose the centralization of gynaecology and obstetrics emergency departments (urgências). The government plan involves closing local units in Barreiro and Vila Franca de Xira to consolidate services in larger regional hospitals like Almada and Loures. Residents in the affected areas should be aware that local leaders warn these closures will increase travel times and risks for expectant mothers.
Emergency departments (urgências) are hospital units that provide 24/7 unscheduled care for serious injuries and sudden illnesses, using triage to prioritise the most urgent cases. For expats, call 112 for life‑threatening emergencies or use the SNS24 helpline (808 24 24 24) for medical advice; expect long waits in public urgências during busy periods and consider private urgências if you have health insurance and need faster care.
The president of the Vila Franca de Xira municipality said the possible permanent closure of obstetric emergency services at the local hospital is of “the greatest gravity,” and that the five municipalities served by the unit will contest the decision with the Government and bring the issue to Parliament. The move signals organised local resistance and could prompt national debate about how smaller hospitals retain urgent maternity services. Residents served by the hospital should follow municipal announcements and local political developments.
A fire has broken out once more at the DHL logistics facilities located in Vila Franca de Xira.
A fire broke out at a DHL logistics warehouse in Vialonga, in the municipality of Vila Franca de Xira, Lisbon district, a Civil Protection source told Lusa. According to RTP, a firefighter was injured while fighting the flames. According to the duty commander of the Greater Lisbon Sub-Regional Command, Bartolomeu Castro, the alert was raised at 12:55 and, around 14:00, the fire remained active. 'The fire started in the roof area and is affecting adjacent warehouses,' the source stated, noting that the premises were evacuated 'in accordance with the internal emergency plan.' At this time, the flames are being fought by more than 100 personnel, supported by 40 emergency vehicles.
The alert was raised at 12:55 PM and, around 2:00 PM, the fire remained active.
More than 100 firefighters are battling the flames.
This is the second fire to break out at the company's facilities within a month
The alert was raised at 12:55 PM this Monday and it is the second fire at that warehouse this month. The fire originated on the building's roof. One firefighter was injured.
There are 23 personnel on site, supported by eight vehicles. The alert was raised at 12:55 PM.
There are 111 personnel on site, supported by 40 vehicles. The alert was raised at 12:55 PM.
A fire is currently active at a warehouse facility located in the vicinity of the Alverca toll plaza.
The fire that broke out near the A1 toll booths in Vila Franca de Xira has now entered the conclusion phase. CNN Portugal reporter Carolina Resende Matos provides the latest updates.
The warehouse is located in an industrial area.
The warehouse is located in an industrial area.
34 firefighters, supported by 11 vehicles, were deployed to combat the flames.
34 firefighters, supported by 11 vehicles, were deployed to combat the flames.
A petition with 12,000 signatures has been delivered to parliament. Municipalities from the north and south banks are joining forces and will request hearings with all parliamentary groups.
The government decided to close the gynaecology and obstetrics emergency services at the Vila Franca de Xira Hospital, which also serves the municipalities of Azambuja, Arruda dos Vinhos, Alenquer, and Benavente.
Several ambulances and a Medical Emergency and Resuscitation Vehicle are on the scene.
They are seeking to raise awareness of the “negative consequences” of the Government's decision.
The incident in Vila Franca de Xira did not exist.
The DN headline for this Thursday focuses on Health: Fourteen mayors from the Greater Lisbon area meet to coordinate a 'joint fight' against the closure of emergency services. Nine municipalities from the Setúbal Peninsula, four from Lisbon, and one from the Santarém district are meeting in Vila Franca de Xira to discuss the closure of two Gynecology-Obstetrics emergency units and to agree on joint 'strategies'. The mayors guarantee they will do everything possible to have 'the services running again soon'. The main photo features the fortnightly debate with the Prime Minister in Parliament: Montenegro says that labour legislation is essential for the 'yes, we are capable' sentiment. Also highlighted is this week's major film premiere: 'Project Hail Mary' premieres, focusing on a mission to save planet Earth. Download the electronic edition of the newspaper at the link below: See the front page in detail:
Pregnant women from the five municipalities previously covered by the emergency department will now be treated in Loures, which has become the first regional emergency unit for this specialty.
The meeting took place on the same day that the gynaecology and obstetrics emergency services at that unit closed, with cases being redirected to the Beatriz Ângelo Hospital in Loures.
The mayor of Vila Franca de Xira promises to continue the fight. He says the minister did not commit to reversing the closure of the local emergency room, despite mentioning a temporary solution.
In an interview with CNN Portugal, Diogo Ayres de Campos, president of the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Societies, confirms that the concentration model is being finalised to respond to the crisis in emergency departments. The specialist points to the “total incapacity” of the system and reveals that the situation at the Vila Franca de Xira Hospital is critical, with no room to support the network.
The gynaecology and obstetrics emergency department in Vila Franca de Xira is closed this Monday, and patients are being redirected to Loures.
The closure of the gynaecology and obstetrics emergency department at the Vila Franca de Xira Hospital, which forces patients to be redirected to the Beatriz Ângelo Hospital in the municipality of Loures, has generated significant criticism. Diogo Ayres de Campos, former director of obstetrics services at the Hospital de Santa Maria, explains that the crisis situation has been known for several years, so this closure comes as no surprise: “We have been facing these difficulties for three or four years,” he states.
