Observatory, Rai studio and six buildings evacuated

Fires, flames and plumes of black smoke spread to buildings and TV studios. Helicopters flew for hours over northern Rome, unloading 500 litres of water from the Tiber onto the burning Monte Mario with each launch. Meanwhile, 12 fire trucks and the Civil Protection were busy trying to contain the fire by land. A race against time to stop the damage and prevent the flames from spreading further. Yet by night, the fire had spread along the hills of the reserve, fuelled by dry grass and piles of rubbish hidden in the woods, reaching a height of more than 130 metres, reaching the highest point of the capital and the place with the best panoramic views of the capital: the observation deck Parco Mellini with the local historian Lo Zodiaco. Yet at the foot of the reserve, the northern quadrant of the city, between Piazzale Clodio and Balduina, the flames grew closer, the smoke made the air unbreathable, and production was forced to stop in buildings, two Carabinieri barracks, Rai. Broadcasting was suspended. Eventually, twenty hectares of the nature reserve were reduced to ashes.

evacuation

Thus, the fire lines in the capital do not stop: yesterday at about 1 pm, the alarm sounded and the first fuse, apparently from a gas stove in an illegal camp in Romeo Romei Street, quickly burned four parked cars. It spread to the nature reserve and reached the observatory in the evening. But other fires in more distant locations on the hill could break out in the afternoon: at five o’clock, the inhabitants of four buildings (Rai Production Center) were evacuated for security reasons and the broadcasts were suspended. The Carabinieri barracks in Via Teulada Street were also evacuated, and the fire continued to spread to the observatory, which was also evacuated. And from Piazzale Clodio in the Castle of Justice to Balduina and throughout the northern quadrant, black smoke made the air unbreathable. Neighborhoods were isolated by closed roads and diversions to allow the intervention of helicopters and fire trucks.

Mario Hill fire, residents: “We have never seen a fire like this, we took to the streets”

investigation

Mayor Roberto Gualtieri flew over the area in a firefighting helicopter, together with Rome Prefect Lamberto Giannini and Provincial Fire Brigade Commander Adriano De Acutis. The Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation and is awaiting the results of the investigations of the Forestry Carabinieri and the police, but suspects arson: “This is not a normal fire – Commander De Acutis stressed – the flames broke out in points far from each other. This is not the first year that fires have occurred on Monte Mario, but we have never seen fires spread in patches and unevenly. ” Thus, multiple outbreaks started in succession and unleashed an inferno in a matter of minutes. “In Via Roma, the fire was apparently caused by a meal cooked in an illegal camp on the hillside”, confirmed Mayor Gualtieri. Prefect Giannini, for his part, assured of “great commitment and synergy between the forces on the ground”.

Fear

“We smelled burning the night before”, said Mirco Mercante, who lives in one of the evacuated buildings in Via Goiran, “then, in the morning I noticed something, but before 1pm, it’s lunchtime. It broke out everywhere.” Francesca Di Meco, a staff member of the Ra1 program “Estate in diretta”, explained that she smelled a burning smell as early as 11am. “At around 4pm, the stench also entered the interior”, she explained in front of her studio in Via Teulada. “The alarm sounded and we rushed out. The announcement was made live that all the afternoon shows were cancelled and we replayed.” Daniel, who lives in an attic in Via Goiran, explained that he noticed the fire around 2pm and, alarmed, immediately went out to the street. “I saw a fire in front of the building: I ran to the street to call the fire department. The fear was huge. I was afraid of losing my house. But now it’s saddening to see the environmental damage that has been done.”

Rome, from Coratina to Anine, this is a map of the slums (where the fire took place): illegal settlements and Roma camps