Large fire in the Bella Italia campsite in Peschiera del Garda: numerous injuries

A large fire broke out at dawn today in the Bella Italia campsite in Peschiera del Garda in the province of Verona. The alarm went off just before 6 in the morning and the intervention, although the fire is now under control, is still underway. The structure was open, therefore with guests inside and, as far as we know, the flames affected around twenty mobile homes. The first reports speak of one injured in code red, seven in code yellow and 16 in code green. Twenty firefighters with five vehicles as well as six Suem 118 vehicles were involved in the rescue.

The difficulties of the rescue intervention were also linked to the presence of LPG cylinders and vehicles. At a certain point an explosion was also heard. The injured people were taken to the hospital in Peschiera del Garda, but other facilities in the area were also alerted. It is not yet clear what caused the fire.

One person reportedly suffered burns to his legs. However, the transfer to the Borgo Trento hospital in Verona, the only one with a major burns centre, was not arranged. Other people went to the emergency room for carbon monoxide fumes. Among them were several tourists, including a Swiss family with three children in tow. When the alarm went off, the maxi emergency protocol was activated, with all the hospitals in the area alerted, but then no people were transferred from Peschiera to the other centers.

The fire apparently started accidentally from inside one of the bungalows. This is, at the moment, the orientation that emerges from the first findings, even if further investigations are still underway while the flames are almost completely put out. The fire involved thirty bungalows, three entire rows, as well as several cars. A van was completely charred. A total of seven people were taken to the emergency room, all foreign tourists apart from a campsite security officer. Three are minors. Apart from one tourist who suffered third degree burns, the other people were mostly talking about carbon monoxide fumes.

Zaia: '4 German firefighters on holiday also intervened in the campsite'

"My most sincere sympathy goes to all the injured, their families and the people involved, with the best wishes for a speedy recovery." This was declared by the president of the Veneto Regional Council, Luca Zaia. "A special thank you - adds Zaia - goes to the Fire Brigade of Verona, to the operators of Suem 118 and to all the rescuers who intervened. I would also like to thank the four German Fire Brigade from Dietzenbach, Germany, who had been on holiday in the campsite since yesterday and who, having noticed the fire, intervened immediately, helping to put out the flames while awaiting the arrival of the Fire Brigade teams. A gesture of great promptness, sense of duty and solidarity".