Forest fire leaves Genova without power

A number of residents in Genova, north of Palma, were left without electricity for over four hours yesterday after workmen started a forest fire in Na Burguesa, cutting power lines and telephone lines, leaving some residents without any communications. The minor fire which destroyed 500 square metres of forest was apparently caused by two lumberjacks. One of the felled trees is believed to have fallen on some power cable and a spark ignited the dry undergrowth and was quickly fuelled by yesterday's winds. The two workmen immediately contacted the Guardia Civil Nature protection unit, Ibanat, and the Palma fire brigade. A number of emergency units were dispatched to the scene and aerial support was called in with a Dromadair fire fighter plane, an Air Tractor and a helicopter making up the rapid reaction force. IBANAT sources said that the unusually high temperatures and bone dry ground enabled the fire to spread very quickly and had it not been for the workmen's immediate call to the fire service, the damage could have been much worse.