Latest news and stories about public safety in Porto, Portugal for expats and residents.
Valongo Municipality has confirmed two Legionella outbreaks in the changing rooms of Sobrado Stadium and D. António Ferreira Gomes School, with disinfection procedures already completed.
A civilian motorcyclist has died after being struck by an overturning Amarante fire engine that was responding to firefighting efforts in Celorico de Basto, leaving three firefighters injured.
The Northern Patient Emergency Guidance Centre (CODU) experienced a two-hour IT system failure, forcing staff to record emergency incidents on paper and causing significant disruptions to dispatch operations.
An ammonia leak at the Docapesca facility in Matosinhos has triggered a large-scale emergency response, resulting in the evacuation of a local festival and at least one minor injury.
Emergency services have successfully contained a significant wildfire in Valongo that threatened the Serras do Porto Park, involving over 160 personnel and aerial support.
The Judicial Police and Public Prosecutor's Office have dismantled a corruption network involving 81 contracts at Águas de Gaia, with 13 suspects detained for allegedly accepting bribes in the form of luxury trips, gifts, and home renovations.
Participation in domestic violence rehabilitation programmes has risen by 8.9% in early 2025, prompting the Ministry of Justice to launch a recidivism study and establish a specialised training academy for prison staff.
Three elderly women, aged 80, 91, and 92, were reportedly mistreated in an illegal care home in Maia. The owner of the facility is currently facing trial for the alleged abuse, raising concerns about the safety and treatment of vulnerable patients in such establishments.
In the past three years, ten patients have tragically died while awaiting heart surgery at Santo António Hospital in Porto, raising serious concerns about the efficiency and safety of the public healthcare system.
The Porto region is set to invest €820,000 in the refurbishment of two health centres. The Vale Formoso Health Unit will receive €526,000 for a four-month renovation, while the Foz Health Centre will be upgraded with an investment of €297,000, expected to take 100 days to complete.
Two people were reportedly stabbed near Trindade metro station in Porto; suspects fled the scene. One man sustained minor injuries and was taken to Santo António Hospital. The incident raises concerns about safety at a major transport hub and is likely to prompt a police investigation and reviews of security and emergency response measures to reassure the public and protect commuters.
A man wanted by German authorities for assaulting and raping a woman on three occasions in 2023 has been detained by Portugal’s Judicial Police in Porto. He will be presented to the Porto Court of Appeal as Portuguese authorities consider the German request and possible extradition; under the charges he could face up to 15 years’ imprisonment. The arrest underscores cross‑border cooperation in serious sexual‑violence cases and the next legal steps will determine whether he is surrendered to Germany or prosecuted in Portugal.
The PSP is investigating the cause of the fire.
The City Council ordered water tests to determine if it was contaminated.
The container was left suspended on the motorway's safety barriers. It was heading towards São João da Madeira.
The operation took place in the nightlife district. The president of the Bar Association classifies these actions as “important”.
The youth was reportedly swimming with friends when he entered the water and was not seen again.
The alert was given at 17:16. 27 emergency personnel supported by 12 vehicles were at the scene of the accident.
A 12-year-old teenager died in the Douro River in Avintes, in the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia. 27 emergency personnel were on the scene.
The youth was reportedly swimming with friends when he entered the water and was not seen again.
More than 150 inmates at the Porto Prison Establishment have submitted a petition against the quality of the food.
The operation took place in the nightlife district. The president of the Bar Association classifies these actions as “important”.
At issue are court decisions that force child victims to spend time with parents who were their abusers.
A gathering in Porto brings together protesters wearing red capes and white masks with a red cross over the mouth, holding signs that read 'abuse is not a parental right'.
The PSP carried out another security operation last night in Porto. One man was arrested for illegal immigration and 17 people were identified on suspicion of drug trafficking.
1,779 fraud crimes were recorded in this geographical area.
According to the PJ, the detainee was a fugitive from justice suspected of fraud and breach of trust. He could face a prison sentence of up to eight years.
The citizen was a fugitive from justice to avoid trial and potential conviction.
The victim was helping family members with the grape harvest when he was stung.
The suspects were hunting on non-hunting grounds, specifically in protected areas.
