Overnight fire destroys building under renovation on Avenida dos Aliados in Porto

Overnight outbreak on Avenida dos Aliados

A fire broke out in the early hours of Saturday, 19 September 2026, in a building under renovation in the city centre of Porto. The multi-storey structure, located between numbers 33 and 39 on Avenida dos Aliados near Praça da Liberdade, was in the process of being converted into a hotel. Emergency services received initial alerts between 02:00 and 02:30, with reports indicating that flames originated on the roof level opposite a McDonald's restaurant. The blaze quickly produced intense flames that illuminated the central thoroughfare, visible from multiple vantage points across Avenida dos Aliados. Passersby and witnesses in the surrounding streets recorded footage of the flames spreading across the upper levels of the property.

Combating the blaze through the facade

Firefighting crews encountered severe operational obstacles due to the internal structure of the building. Luciano Martins, principal subchief of the Porto Firefighters Regiment (Regimento de Sapadores Bombeiros do Porto), explained that the property possessed a wooden interior, which accelerated the rapid propagation and intensity of the flames when combined with construction materials stored on site. Because entering the unstable wooden structure posed severe safety risks, emergency personnel conducted the entire suppression operation externally through the building facade. A thick stone dividing wall separating the burning property from the adjacent ANorte construction site helped contain the blaze and prevented lateral transmission to adjoining buildings. José Teixeira, the works supervisor for the ANorte site, rushed to the scene after receiving an urgent phone call from the Public Security Police.

When I arrived, the building was completely in flames, from the roof down to the first floor. Everything was charred and there will not be much to save.

Precautionary evacuations and multi-agency response

Although flames remained confined to the single building, local emergency authorities ordered precautionary safety measures for adjacent properties. Guests staying at the hotel situated at the rear of the burning building (identified as Hotel Intercontinental and Hotel Internacional in regional reports) were instructed by Porto municipal officials to leave their rooms and assemble in the ground-floor reception lobby. Once firefighters established perimeter control and confirmed that surrounding structures faced no danger, guests received permission to return to their rooms. No injuries or casualties occurred among civilians, hotel guests, or emergency workers, with property damage confined entirely to the building under renovation.

A combined emergency force of 50 responders and 20 vehicles mobilized to the scene. The deployment included the Porto Firefighters Regiment, the Porto Volunteer Firefighters, the Public Security Police, the National Institute of Medical Emergency, and the Municipal Civil Protection service. During the peak of the suppression efforts, the Sapadores regiment committed 25 operational firefighters and nine emergency vehicles directly to extinguishing the flames.

Mopping up and cause investigation

Emergency commanders reported the active fire under control and extinguished between 04:00 and 05:00, shifting resources into an extended mopping-up operation that lasted throughout the morning. Specialized crews worked to systematically dampen debris, extinguish deep-seated hotspots, and assess structural stability. At 07:30, Sapadores units maintained an operational footprint along Avenida dos Aliados. By 10:00, the Sub-Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command of the Porto Metropolitan Area confirmed that mopping-up operations were nearing conclusion, with 18 Sapadores firefighters and five vehicles remaining on site. The exact origin of the blaze has not yet been determined, and an official investigation remains underway.