Three Children, Two Others Die in Fires in Central Portugal

LISBON —  Three children died in a fire that destroyed their home in central Portugal, and weekend forest fires killed two other people, reports said Sunday.

Two brothers, aged 7 months and 2 years, and their 4-year-old sister were killed Saturday near the central town of Ovar, police were quoted as saying. Their 3-year-old brother escaped from the flames.

News reports said the children were left alone in the house while their mother went shopping. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

A 74-year-old man was killed by smoke from a forest fire when he tried to save cattle at his home near the central village of Serabigoes, reports said.

An unidentified youth was run over and killed by a fire truck he was trying to jump aboard at a forest fire near the central town of Cernache do Bonjardim, the reports added.