Greece: forest fire tragedy
 

60 dead including six-month-old baby as worst Greek forest fires in a decade rip through the Athens region
Rescuers say they found bodies of 26 bodies, apparently families, found huddled tightly together at one villa
In the same village of Mati, people were burnt alive after being caught in a traffic jam while fleeing to beaches
Fires fuelled by 65mph winds and temperatures of 104F tore through communities in a matter of minutes
Mass evacuation is underway today aided by military vessels, a flotilla of private boats and army helicopters
Greece has asked for US drone to 'detect suspicious activity' as it emerged 15 fires had started at same time
Are you in Greece near the wildfires? Email julian.robinson@mailonline.co.uk

Terrified tourists and locals were burned alive after becoming caught in a traffic jam which formed as hundreds tried to flee deadly forest fires in Greece, which have killed 60 people and may have been started deliberately.

Officials have asked for US drones 'to observe and detect any suspicious activity' as it emerged 15 fires had started at the same time in three different areas near Athens - possibly by criminals intending to ransack homes once they were abandoned by fleeing residents.

In the coastal resort of Mati, 25 miles from the capital, flames engulfed more than a thousand homes and dozens of vehicles as people tried to escape a 'sudden progression of fire' that swept through the community in a matter of minutes.

Charred bodies were found in the street today while witnesses reported seeing at least four dead on a narrow road clogged with cars in the village, which a local mayor said 'no longer exists'. Some of the survivors spent fraught hours choking on clouds of ash at the edge of the water as they waited for help.

In the same resort, horrified officials have found 26 bodies, apparently families, huddled tightly together 'a final attempt to protect themselves' less than 100ft from the sea having apparently made a desperate attempt to escape from their villa.

Driven by winds of up to 65mph and 104F (40C) temperatures, the worst Greek forest fires in a decade have been described as a 'national tragedy'. One of the youngest victim was a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation.

Hundreds of tourists have been evacuated from beaches in on-going operations today while three women and a child drowned in the sea trying to escape flames.

Two wildfires began at lunchtime yesterday but by the evening it had escalated to a disaster with infernos breaking out either side of Athens.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...y-resorts.html


so horrible this, i got a few friends living in Athens :( :(

Been listening to this it is so awful one group of 25 tried to escape to the sea and were found huddled in a group together, heartbreaking

one of my friends, and also one of our members ArgyESC is ok, he just messaged me now, he's still worried about his cousins who are still in athens now


he also told me there are 3 fires currently, 1 in crete and 2 in the athens region

Yes All close compact building
Fire moved fast.

No wonder over 60 are dead.

most of the dead are from a smaller village of Mati, they lived the closest to where the fire started

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2...2415977250.jpg

Saved by the Sea

horrible wow

yeah these smaller villages are most vulnerable i guess for these forest fires, my prayers go out to all of the people who live in these villages and who live in athens

Looking at the professional photographs of all the fires makes this even more saddening...

yes but anyway i got a message from my other friend as well, she didn't answer for that long because she was asleep


but the fires are opposite to where she lives

Burned alive, how horrendous :(

Yes No Fire could be stopped
in that overcrowded area.
the winds kept changing , as well,

thankfully there is some rain prediction for Greece soon, so that also might help

some t storms today and then another 2 weeks on the 90s and dry

Some Reports from Greece
are now saying the Fire was started by Arsonists


Thats Murder
do they have CCTV?

Satellite Evidence has shown 2 fires started at the same time

Ref: BBCnewsHD live

Got to be one of the worst ways to die.

An Irish man on his honeymoon died, his mother already lost a son in the 90's too, tragic :(

Thats real sad.