ATHENS: Greek emergency services battled a massive wildfire threatening Athens for a third day Tuesday after finding the first victim and thousands of people were kept away from their homes by the flames.
The body of a Moldovan woman was found in a burned out factory and at least 66 people have been treated for injuries since the fire broke out Sunday, authorities said. Five firefighters have been hurt. Fuelled by strong winds, the wildfire raced across parched landscape northeast of the capital, destroying dozens of houses, cars and businesses in the 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) of land it has devastated.
The Greek government appealed for assistance from other European nations. France, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia and Turkey were sending hundreds of firefighters along with helicopters, fire engines and water tankers, authorities said.
The fire has badly hit the suburbs of Nea Penteli, Palaia Penteli, Patima Halandriou and Vrilissia.
The body of a Moldovan in her 60s, was found in a factory in the suburb of Halandri.
A bouquet of white flowers was laid in tribute in the mess of burned out steel and burned chairs and tables. Halandri mayor Simos Roussos told ERT state television that he had seen nearly a dozen homes destroyed by the fire in just his town.
Numerous businesses, used car and coal yards and paint warehouses were also affected, he said. “The fire travelled 50 kilometres and changed direction 10 times,” Roussos said. In nearby Penteli, a helicopter waterbombed huge balls of flame coming from a warehouse containing wood and what is believed to be propane tanks.
Locals fled loud explosions, which sent items flying.
With much of the capital covered by acrid smoke for two straight days, scientists reported an alarming rise in hazardous airborne particles, particularly from Sunday night to Monday night.
“Never in a million years did I think a fire would come here,” 65-year-old Sakis Morfis told AFP outside his gutted home in Vrilissia.
“We’re without clothes, money, everything was burned inside,” he said.
Hundreds of firefighters, backed by around 200 fire engines and 12 water-bombing aircraft battled the blaze that started in Varnavas, some 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Athens.
Costas Tsigkas, head of the association of Greek firefighter officers, told ERT the army of firefighters had made progress during the night.
“We are at a better level across the front,” Tsigkas said. “But conditions again will not be easy. There will be winds from midday onwards” and “every hour that passes will be more difficult”.
Greece’s National Observatory, itself threatened by the wildfire, said temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) are expected on Tuesday, with winds of up to 39 kilometres (24 miles) per hour.
Greece’s conservative government came under attack from the press over the fire.
“Enough is enough,” thundered the front page of Greece’s top-selling centrist daily.__The Nation
