The police are treating an early morning fire at a council housing apartment block in Faro as highly suspicious as a witness heard three explosions just before the blaze took hold.
At least six residents ended up in hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, one of them just four-years-old.
The Judicial Police in Faro are investigating the fire and officers are convinced that it was deliberate. This is the third fire at the development in Atalaia in the last week.
One resident reported hearing three explosions just before the fire: another reported seeing two people fleeing the scene before sheets of flames enveloped the hallway.
When the firemen arrived just after 05:00 they found that the door had been blocked shut and, as the flames were in the entrance hall, residents were trapped inside the building.
At least 58 people had to be evacuated from their apartments with nine receiving on-site help due to smoke inhalation.
The president of Faro council, Rogério Bacalhau was on site to monitor the evaluation of the damage as the social housing building is owned by the municipality.
The hallway electricity box was destroyed as was a mobility scooter owned by one of the residents and the ceiling was left in danger of collapse.
