The man who was found dead this morning on a piece of land in Niu Crubu, in Quartu , which was affected by a fire, was called Michele Podda, 81 years old, originally from Ollolai, the town where he was once mayor.
The causes of death are still unclear: Podda may have been hit by the fire, but the most likely hypothesis is that he suffered a fatal illness – perhaps caused by the smoke – before being reached by the flames, perhaps in an attempt to put them out.
It cannot be ruled out that the fire started from stubble burning, started by the victim himself: the prosecutor on duty and officers from the Quartu police station are working to determine this.
According to reports, Podda had reached his land early in the morning, as he often did. What is certain is that around 11:15 a.m., a fire alarm was raised in the area: firefighters and forestry officers, along with civil protection teams from the PAFF, were on site. However, the intervention of several 118 ambulances was also necessary: the rescuers provided assistance to several residents of Santu Lianu, as far as the fire front extended, who were suffering from early signs of poisoning.
During the ground crews' work, they made a discovery: Podda's lifeless body was found. After further investigation, it was returned to his family.
Georgia Daga
Raffaele Serreli