Almost the entire fleet of garbage trucks in the municipality of Malevizi, Heraklion, Crete, was destroyed after a fire broke out early Wednesday morning at the vehicle depot.

Seeking solutions for waste collection

The day has dawned with significant challenges for the municipality, as there are no garbage trucks available to meet the needs. Efforts are already underway to collaborate with neighboring municipalities to “borrow” garbage trucks.

“The situation is very difficult. We need around five garbage trucks for smooth waste collection. Right now, we have two backup trucks that are on their way. We’ve also contacted nearby municipalities and others across Crete to provide us with garbage trucks for at least five months. If we can’t find enough, we’ll reach out to the rest of Greece. We will have the processes in motion by the end of the day,” said Mr. Bokeas.

Additionally, the mayor mentioned that the municipality is also considering outsourcing some routes to an external contractor. However, this process is time-consuming, costly, and “we must remember we have a specific budget.”

Arson is the leading theory authorities are investigating

The main theory being considered by authorities is that the fire was an act of arson. According to cretapost, a section of the fence at the site was found cut, creating a large hole through which a person could pass, suggesting potential entry by the perpetrators.

Timeline of the fire

The fire started just before 2 a.m., when the fire department received a call about the blaze at the vehicle depot. Seven fire trucks with 18 firefighters responded quickly and managed to extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported, but significant damage occurred, with eight garbage trucks completely destroyed.