- Title: GREECE: FIRES STRIKE VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND ATHENS
- Date: 22nd July 1998
- Summary: SARONIDA, GREECE (JULY 22, 1998) (RTV) 1. LV/SV OF TREES AND BRUSH ON FIRE (2 SHOTS) 0.10 2. LV/SLV OF FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRE ENGINES BATTLING BLAZE IN BRUSH (8 SHOTS) 0.52 3. LV HELICOPTER DROPPING WATER ON FIRES (2 SHOTS) 1.12 4. LV SMOKE AROUND HOUSE 1.18 5. SLV PEOPLE SPRAYING WATER ON BUSHFIRE 1.23 6. LV FIRE AROUND HOUSE 1.28 7. SLV/LV OF FIRES BURNING IN GARDENS, ON LAWNS OF HOME, MAN SPRAYING WATER 1.42 8. SLV FIREFIGHTRS AND FIRE ENGINE BATTLING BLAZE IN BUSH 1.53 9. LV HOUSES, SMOKE IN AIR 1.58 10. SLV FIREFIGHTERS BATTLING BLAZE NEAR HOME 2.04 11. GV HOUSES IN SMOKE (2 SHOTS) 2.16 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 6th August 1998 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece, EUROPE, EUROPEAN UNION (Constituents)
- City:
- Country: Greece
- Reuters ID: LVAEWMR0B2UDDUAOFXBTUWZZ7RKR
- Story Text: Three firefighters and a forest volunteer have died in a blaze as fires struck in various locations around Athens including the coastal holiday town of Saronida where a number of homes were burnt.
Three Greek firefighters and a volunteer were burned to death on Wednesday (July 22) as they fought to stop a forest fire from reaching a busy Athens suburb.
"They were found about 10 metres from their fire engine, which had run out of water," a police spokesman said.
The body of the forest volunteer was found a short distance away.
About 30 firemen were battling the blaze in the mountains over the Athens suburb of Ilioupolis, trying to keep it away from the densely populated area.
Another forest fire fanned by strong winds burned homes in the holiday town of Saronida, about 40 km (25 miles) southeast of Athens, and the fire department ordered its evacuation.
At least four houses in the area were engulfed by flames despite efforts by scores of firemen to put out the blaze, aided by locals using garden hoses and branches.
A firefighting plane sent to Saronida was unable to drop water over the inhabitted area and gale-force winds were spreading the fire rapidly in all directions, the fire department said.
Eyewitnesses said roads were jammed by residents fleeing and others returning to try to save their homes.
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