Konstantinos Laimodetis, a 27-year-old Deputy Fire Chief, was laid to rest on Friday, as family, friends, Fire Service colleagues and crowds of local residents gathered to pay their last respects. He was found dead outside the perimeter of a wildfire that broke out on Wednesday in Gytheio, in the southern Peloponnese.

It fell to his heartbroken parents to say a final goodbye to their only child.

The courtyard of the Church of Agios Konstantinos in Agrinio, the officer’s home town, was banked with wreaths as his coffin arrived draped in the Greek flag.

The funeral was conducted with full honours by the Fire Service, attended by senior fire service and political figures.

Laimodetis had been serving as deputy commander of the Fire Service in Gytheio. He was the son of a teacher from Agios Konstantinos, a district of Agrinio.

He enrolled at the Fire Academy in 2017, graduating with distinction, before going on to the Officers’ School. After completing his training, he served for two years in Athens, and was posted to the Gytheio Fire Service in June 2025, where he took up the role of deputy commander.