- Firefighters extinguish all forest fires <unk> Now the survivors ask questions
The major fire that raged near Athens for almost three days has been extinguished. Firefighters continue to patrol the region as part of the so-called fire watch to prevent any reignition of hot spots. Meanwhile, the discussion about causes and responsibility has begun in Greece.
According to media reports, a faulty power pole may have caused the fire on Sunday afternoon. The daily newspaper "Kathimerini" reported that a citizen observed that the support for the power cables on the affected pole was broken. Experts then inspected the site and collected material for examination.
Fire was "like an atomic bomb"
There is still disbelief at how rapidly the fire spread. "It was like an atomic bomb," said a local to the newspaper. Some criticism has been directed at the fire department's deployment planning: Some citizens complained on social media that they initially saw no fire-fighting aircraft and helicopters, although the fire was burning. Others praise the fact that the vast area of around 100 square kilometers could be extinguished so quickly.
Citizens' Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias pointed out that the first fire-fighting helicopter was already on the scene four minutes after the fire broke out. This is also confirmed by drone footage from the fire department shown in Greek media. The minister posted the video on the X platform. However, the deployment forces initially had no chance due to the strong wind.
One death in Greece
There are also questions about the only fatality from the fire, a woman who could not escape the buildings of a nursery. Other employees had managed to get to safety, some jumping from the balcony, reported the newspaper "To Proto Thema". It is suspected that the woman suffered from smoke inhalation and became unconscious.
There seems to be agreement that it was a miracle that there were not more victims given the inferno. The authorities had evacuated a total of 45 villages and neighborhoods in advance.
Aid is flowing in
The financial aid of 4.5 million euros from a first aid package set up by the government can be applied for online by those affected within a few days. It is not yet clear how many people have lost their homes and how many businesses and agricultural enterprises have been damaged. One thing seems certain: The fire did not burn for even three days - the aftermath of the disaster and the reforestation of the charred, devastated area will take much longer.
Despite the aftermath requiring extensive reforestation and recovery, the online application for financial aid from the government's first aid package is now available for affected individuals within a few days. Sadly, one fatality was reported, a woman from a nursery who could not escape, as reported by the newspaper "To Proto Thema". Many women in the affected areas are currently navigating the challenges of the disaster and its aftermath.
