Fire devastates Nova Sintra shopping center and causes extensive damage

A fire of major proportions broke out in the early hours of Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in the Nova Sintra shopping center on the island of Brava, leaving a trail of destruction and significant losses for local traders. The fire, which started at around 03:00 in one of the stores, quickly spread, completely consuming ten commercial establishments, according to information gathered by Inforpress at the scene.

A witness, who preferred not to be identified, told Inforpress that he was alerted by the shopping center's guard while at work. "I was called because a store was on fire. I grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran there, but when I arrived, the fire had already spread and it was impossible to get in," she said. The police and fire department were called, but only managed to control the flames after several hours of fighting the fire.

The scene is one of devastation: doors, windows, roofs and all the shopkeepers' belongings have been reduced to ashes. Inforpress found that the commercial stalls were completely destroyed, resulting in considerable material losses. So far, the authorities have not released the official cause of the fire, but the damage is described as "huge" by those affected.