The fire started from an agroforestry area and burned a large area of the Municipal apartment, destroying, according to volunteer firefighters, scattered houses and a monastery. Fire brigade and volunteers are on alert for the Paleochori settlement
Edited by Myriam Kiassos
The Fire Department and volunteers are fighting a titanic battle to tame the serious fire that has been raging since midday on Wednesday, July 18 in Western Samos
The fire, which started from an agroforestry area near the settlement of Paleochori in Marathokampos, burned a large area of the Municipal apartment, destroying, according to volunteer firefighters, scattered houses as well as the Monastery of Saint John the Merciful.
Speaking on SKAI radio, the Mayor of West Samos, Alexandros Lymberis, spoke of a difficult fire with a high degree of danger.
Mr. Lymberis said that the fiery front is heading towards the sea while he expressed fears for the settlement of Paleochori in the evening due to the strong winds that are still blowing in the area.
28 firefighters, 1 pedestrian unit and volunteers are working to extinguish the fire.
Local authorities and volunteers are helping residents and tourists to leave the coastal settlement of Limniona and Makria Pounta.
According to statements by Dimitris Volakakis, Deputy Mayor of Western Samos on SKAI radio, the evacuation of Limniona and Makria Pountas has been requested.
The situation remains critical because strong northerly winds are still blowing in the area which, according to residents’ testimonies, make the extinguishing operation difficult.
According to information, it is assumed that the fire was caused by a PPC pillar.
Earlier in the afternoon, a Fire Department helicopter with a four-member crew that was trying to extinguish the fire in Palaichori, Samos, crashed.
Two of the four crew members lost their lives and one, the pilot of the aircraft, was located and rescued by the Coast Guard, while the fourth crew member reportedly managed to swim to shore unharmed.
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