ROME- Some 200 firefighters were called in to tackle fires in Rome on Monday morning. Reinforcements have arrived from Umbira, Abruzzo, Tuscany and Campania to help with the fires. The largest fire was in Aurelia with the flames damaging homes and a storage facility, with several tanks of LPG.

 There were also fires in the north west of the city near Casaccia in Laurentina and also Marino. This caused the closure of some roads and some flights were diverted to Fiumicino because there was a fire 4km away from Ciampino.

 “The most critical situations are in Tor Pagnotta and Casalotti where families are being evacuated from their home and where two schools have been closed as a precaution” the mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri said.

 The biggest fire was discovered at 14:00 in the north west of Rome in via Bosco Marengo. The flames, helped by the hot wind, spread through gardens and private buildings and covered and extensive area from Via Aurelia to the Casalotti neighbourhood.

 Two people, a woman and child, were taken to hospital and 35 people, were treated, nearly all with symptoms of smoke intoxication.

 “Residents took to the street in fear and there were moments of panic” said one resident. “Some of us, while waiting for help, went to the balconies and threw buckets of water on them in an attempt to stop the flames.”

 A fire was also reported not far from villa Pamphill on via del Vascello. The residents were evacuated and two woman aged 91 and 81 were rescued. The fire has now been extinguished and no injuries were reported.