Two horrific accidents claimed the lives of a mother-of-three and a three year old child in different parts of Portugal this week.
In the first, a “loose front door” made of heavy metal is understood to have come crashing down on a little boy named only as Ruben as his mother was looking around a social housing apartment that she and her son were about to move into.
The accident, which took place at 10.30pm at night in Avenida Virgílio Ferreira in Marvila, left everyone involved completely traumatised as the child was not killed outright but is described as having screamed in agony for some time.
According to news reports, Maria Gonçalves was being offered the home by Lisbon council, via a company called Gebalis, which is “responsible for the management of municipal housing estates in the capital”.
Gebalis has told the media that it is “looking into the circumstances of the accident” and will be “supporting” all those involved.
But how a heavy front door came to be off its hinges in an apartment for rent is certainly to be at the centre of this investigation.
Elsewhere, in Santa Maria da Feira, a worker at a recycling plant was inexplicably crushed by a 400 kilo roll of mashed paper.
Alexandra Manart, a mother-of-three, is understood to have been working with two colleagues when the gigantic roll “fell from above” right on top of her.
To add to the tragedy, the 40-year-old woman’s 19-year-old son witnessed everything.
According to reports, the dead woman’s funeral will be taking place tomorrow (Friday).
