A head-on collision on a bend in the EN124 between Silves and Odelouca has left two people dead and another seriously injured.
The accident happened at around midday today, and involved a car and a heavy goods vehicle.
Reporting from the scene, CMTV stressed the road is in poor condition and already known for road traffic accidents, particularly when it comes to sharp bends.
In this incident, the driver of the car is reported by Diário de Notícias to have been 87 years old.
He and his wife, travelling beside him, were pronounced dead at the scene, while a passenger in the same car has been rushed to hospital in a serious condition.
GNR police, INEM emergency crew and firemen were involved in efforts to free the victims from the wreckage.
It is not immediately clear what led the car to collide with the HGV – described by DN as a refuse truck.
Faro’s GNR territorial command is expected to make a statement shortly.
Meantime, local resident Colin Reid has been in touch with the Resident to highlight the dangers on this stretch of country road.
The HGV was indeed a waste disposal lorry, and according to Mr Reid it “looked like it was returning from emptying its waste at the Portimão dump.
“The amount of these vehicles which travel up and down this road between Porto de Lagos and Silves is unreal”, he added.
“There are coaches which visit Silves, then head out this road to go to Monchique, then you have all the waste lorries on their way to and from the dump and then you have vehicles which clearly are not even allowed on this part of the road.
“The road has a 20-ton weight limit, but you find huge logging lorries using it as a short cut and even flat-bed lorries carrying huge lumps of granite – sometimes 4 or 5 large cubes at a time.
“This part of the 124 is being systematically destroyed by these vehicles. And how does the local authority repair it? Easy – by just throwing lumps of hot tarmac into the biggest holes and then letting passing traffic run over them until they are smooth”.
Colin Reid said he was getting in touch as he is “genuinely concerned” for the safety of anyone using the EN124.
“How long will local residents and travellers on coachs have to wait until it is safe to travel along this part of the 124”, he queried, sending us images of today’s tragedy.
