The Italian island of Pantelleria between Tunisia and Sicily is a popular vacation spot for celebrities. When blazing flames spread there in the evening, several houses had to be evacuated. The villa where fashion designer Giorgio Armani is staying with his friends is also affected.
The authorities on the Italian mini-island of Pantelleria have brought a few dozen people to safety because of large wildfires. According to media reports, fashion designer Giorgio Armani also had to leave his luxury villa on the east coast of the island, which is popular with celebrities, on Thursday night and saved himself and his guests on his yacht. Two firefighting aircraft and several firefighting units continued to fight the flames in the affected area of the island between Tunisia and Sicily, the fire department said.
The fire broke out late Wednesday evening. Eyewitnesses posted videos on social media showing widespread flames and thick smoke roaring in the darkness. With a military helicopter and by ship, the authorities from Sicily brought additional emergency services to the small holiday island to provide support. According to stol.it, Giorgio Armani was having friends over when he had to leave his house in a hurry. The group fled to the coast in an off-road vehicle to reach a lifeboat. The villa of soccer player Marco Tardelli is also said to have been evacuated.
According to information from the fire department on Thursday morning, there was no evidence of injuries. According to the Sicilian civil protection, some wooden roofs and huts burned, as well as mainly bush areas. "The wind and the flames are decreasing, the worst seems to be over," Pantelleria's mayor, Vincenzo Campo, told the Ansa news agency.
According to authorities, the flames erupted in at least two locations a few hundred meters apart and were fanned by winds. The cause of the fire was still unclear as of Thursday morning. The public prosecutor's office took up the investigation. Arson or negligent behavior could not initially be ruled out.
