Death toll of Greek wildfires reaches 83, as search operations for the missing continue
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The confirmed death toll from forest fires that raged through seaside resorts near the Greek capital Athens has increased to 83, following the death of a 73-year-old burn patients in a hospital ICU on Thursday.
According to an announcement by Fire Brigade spokesperson Stavroula Malliri, the search for more missing persons in the burnt out buildings in eastern Attica is continuing.
The fire brigade has asked the family members of missing persons to visit the Athens University Coroner’s Service at 75 Mikras Asias Road in Goudi until Friday, between the hours of 8:00 and 20:00, in order to be briefed on the procedure that will be followed in order to identify the victims.
Team of firemen are currently conducting a house-to-house search in areas that the fire passed through to locate any possible victims, Malliri said, but have not yet started entering homes that are locked and teams have to break into.
“Aware of the anxiety felt by relatives of the missing, we report that the search to find them will not stop until all the space and points where the fire passed have been checked,” she said.
Concerning the fire on the Gerania mountains, she said that no front was currently active and that fire fighting forces remain on the scene in case of a rekindling of the flames.
A total of 228 fire men, 114 fire engines, 56 fire men on foot, 13 local authority vehicles, 10 water tankers, five bulldozers, two aircraft and four helicopters are currently in operation at the scene, with an additional two fire-fighting aircraft expected from Spain via the European Civil Protection Mechanism.
Finally, she expressed the fire brigade’s thanks to all private citizens, volunteers, volunteer organisations, local government, armed forces, Greek police, coast guard, Greek Red Cross, companies and other bodies that have assisted.
Source: AMNA