Council sets up fireproofing fund after deadly Portuguese blaze

LISBON, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The municipal council of Batalha in central Portugal announced on Tuesday that it had established a 25,000-euro fund for community centers to fireproof their premises.

According to the Portuguese Lusa News Agency, the fund was available to all cultural associations in the region and can be used to buy fire extinguishers, train members in fire safety procedures and improve building security.

The initiative comes as a response to Saturday's fire at the Cultural, Recreational and Humanitarian Association building in Vila Nova da Rainha, a village 250 km north of Lisbon. The fire killed 8 and left 32 injured, 18 of them in a critical condition.

The fire broke out when a ceiling collapsed. It has now been confirmed that the heat from a wood-burning stove caused the roof panel behind a false ceiling to spontaneously combust. The ceiling then exploded, releasing deadly flames and toxic fumes.

The roof panel was clad in polyurethane, a material that is highly flammable when left exposed. Public and private institutions throughout Portugal are being encouraged to check the safety of their cladding.

Community centers like the one in Vila Nova da Rainha tend to be run by volunteers. They have limited budgets and rarely upgrade their premises. The Vila Nova da Rainha building was last renovated in 1992.

Councilors in Batalha, a district halfway between Lisbon and Vila Nova da Rainha, have recognized the need to intervene. Other district councils are likely to follow suit. Enditem