Firefighters are battling reignitions for a second 24-hour period after the fire that broke out in Stimanga, Corinthia.
24 air assets, 12 aircraft, and 12 helicopters are operating in the area, including two coordination helicopters. At the same time, 350 firefighters with 110 vehicles and 14 hiking sections have been rushed to the site.
Shortly after 15.30 at noon, 112 was sounded once again for the residents of the settlements of Lagadaika, Spartinaika, Pellini, and Ano Kallithea to evacuate, moving towards Sofiana and Rethi.
Earlier in the morning a new alarm was raised in the Xylokastro area, as a new message was sent by 112 to the residents of the village of “Pyrgos”, where the fire is still raging. The Civil Protection informed citizens to move away to “Lygia” because of the fire.
A short while ago a new 112 message was sent for the areas of Chelydoreo and Zaholi.
Watch video – Dense smoke blankets the area again, 13:40
The fire broke out yesterday, Sunday morning, in a forest area with dense vegetation in Rozenas Xylokastro, Corinthia, while the residents of six villages were ordered to be evacuated from their homes in a hurry.
Tragic are the details of the two men aged 35 and 40 who died when they were surrounded by fire near the village of Elliniko in Xylokastro while, on Sunday night, they were trying to reach a friend’s corral. According to what Corinth’s deputy regional governor, Anastasios Gioli, told Action 24, one of the two was the father of three children while the second was due to have his third child in a few months.
“They were special children who, with love for their neighbours, ran to help,” added Mr Gioli, who comes from the same village as the two unfortunate men.
“It’s unbearable what happened, this is a disinheritance, you don’t go away and leave 3 children behind you babies,” the sister of one of the victims said shortly afterwards, speaking to SKY, the sister of one of the victims. Describing what happened she said “the fire surrounded them. There was a fireman there who left with two other people who were also there.”
“They were told to leave and they said they would stay. They went with two motorbikes, stayed with one and then that one burnt down,” she added about the tragic end of her brothers and the other man.
As seen in the footage broadcast by SKAI, the two men tried to approach on their motorbikes from the village of Elliniko, the area where their friend’s corral was. There, however, it appears that they were circled by fire, resulting in their tragic deaths, as their bodies were found charred by officers of the OPKE at dawn today.
As Gioli explained earlier, the two men “were not registered volunteers, they were villagers who did not hear 112 and went to help.”
According to what is known, the 35-year-old and the 40-year-old took their motorbikes on Sunday night and moved to the corral of an acquaintance to help him in the Ano Pitsas area of Corinthia. Although firefighters met them on the way and urged them to move away, as there was a fire in progress, the two men continued on their way with this tragic outcome.
Several active hot spots
The latest picture from the fire department says there is no single front but firefighters are dealing with several dispersed hotspots.
It is noted that there are reports of damage in the area of Elliniko Xylokastro in Corinth, however a full picture will be available after the fire is extinguished.
