MY FIRE TRAP HELL
» Firefighter tells of moment he found huddle of 26 bodies » Loved ones reveal horror of victims’ last moments
A VOLUNTEER firefighter yesterday told of the “apocalyptic” scene when he discovered the remains of 26 people huddled together in the aftermath of Greece’s deadly wildfires.
Mike Tsiougkris says the group – many of whose bodies were found “embracing” – included nine children. They had all become trapped on a clifftop and engulfed in flames.
“It was apocalyptic,” he said. “I will remember it for ever.”
Mike, 48, himself a father of a 19-month old son, told how he was haunted by what he found.
“I spent 19 years putting out thousands of fires and never saw anything like this. It was so incredibly difficult. The worst thing is, when you find these small kids.
“You’ve got to keep working – you’ve got to do your job. I’m trying to control these feelings since. I don’t feel like a hero. I was there to do a special job, to find people.”
Mike, President of the Hellenic Volunteer Firefighters Union, is one of hundreds of rescuers who worked tirelessly to douse the fast-moving infernos which ripped through the region, claiming the lives of at least 88.
The idyllic fishing village of Mati, a favourite for tourists, was almost entirely burnt to the ground.
Now, six days after the deadly fires broke out around the Attica region near Greece’s capital Athens, the victims are beginning to be buried.
So far 83 people are understood to have died, and at least 45 are still missing.
Rescuers continue to scour the sea – where many fled the flames – as well as the charred remains of houses in a bid to find them.
Many of the burnt cars and much of the debris has now been cleared from the streets.
But the blackened remains of buildings are a tragic reminder of the 2,000 homes destroyed by the blaze.
International Federation of Red Cross spokeswoman Georgia Trism- pioti said: “Still there are houses that haven’t been checked. “People are suffering terribly not knowing where their loved ones are. Sometimes it is better to know that the person you are looking for is dead rather than not receiving any response anywhere.” She said psychological support was being offered to those involved. Identifying the bodies is proving difficult due to the extent of the burns.
IRISH HONEYMOONERS
Among the dead is Irishman Brian O’callaghan-westropp, who was killed just days into his honeymoon.
His friend, service manager Derek Malone, 41, said: “It’s just unthinkable what happened, at the happiest time of his life.”
Brian’s bride Zoe Holohan, who he married in Kells, Co Meath, on July 19, is being treated in hospital for burns to her head and hands.
Derek has created a fundraising page for Zoe, which yesterday had exceeded €4,000.
He said: “I don’t know Zoe and I’m sure the last thing on her mind is something like that, but it is something Brian would have done for us.”
Other stories of unimaginable loss continued to emerge this week.
THE HUSBAND
One desperate man, Panagiotis Ntaglhalos, 41, took a sample of his wife’s hair to a mortuary in a heartbreaking attempt to identify her remains. He had managed to save his three-year-old son Gregory, but his wife of four years, Kalliope Siapkara, 35, was burnt to death.
Breaking down at the official coroner’s centre in Athens, he recalled: “We were driving. When the fire came, I had to save our son. I grabbed him and ran. I don’t know what happened to my wife. We got separated. I came two hours later to the spot of my car and found her just outside the open doors.”
He hopes providing her hairs will “speed up the process” so her body can be released.
TRAGIC FAMILY
Devastated Barbara Fytrou is to bury her husband Gregoris, 57, and their children Evita, 12, and Andreas, 11, today.
In a moving tribute this week, Barbara wrote: “I will tell you with certainty that I have lost everything. Hug your children every day.”
One of Gregoris’ oldest friends, Demitri Xiarches, 54, said: “It’s very tragic. Barbara survived and is in great pain – she will need psychological help. I knew Gregoris, we were good friends for 20 years. He was such a nice man.” Demitri himself is now homeless. He said: “I was 50 metres away and saw the fire hit my house.
“The roof caved in, it was engulfed and all our belongings were gone.”
THE TWINS
Yesterday it was confirmed that nine-year-old twin girls Sofia and Vasiliki Filippopoulou had died – reportedly while “hugging” their grandparents, who were also killed.
Their grandfather’s burnt-out car was located close to where the group of 26 died. The girls’ father Yiannis initially thought they were safe after believing he’d caught sight of them in TV footage of survivors – but they were not his children.
Amid the devastation there were also miraculous tales of survival.
THE BRIT RESCUER
Londoner Dimitri Zarlas managed to rescue his 94-year-old mother. Dimitri, 67, who lives in Richmond, had been on holiday with his wife and
three children in Mykonos but travelled to his childhood home on Monday alone.
He arrived to terrifying scenes, with pine cones “flying around like fireballs” and a tree close to the window where frail Christina Zarlas was trapped was ablaze.
Fine art dealer Dimitri said: “It was hell. The flames were going upward close to where my mother was.” Dimitri and his brother Nick, 63, drew 15 buckets of water from an old well in the garden to put out the fire and take Christina to safety.
British expat Susan Stephos, 71, also managed to escape the flames and was treated in hospital this week.
THE RESCUER
Meanwhile, Greek Kelly Potiri, 37, ran through “burning trees and a tunnel of fire” to beg her terrified elderly parents to leave their home in Rafina.
The hotel receptionist said: “The houses either side were completely burning. My parents’ garden was on fire. There was flaming debris flying from the trees.” She smothered her face in a wet towel and bravely tried to persuade her dad, 71, mum, 67, and brother, 40, to leave but they refused.
“They spent all their life trying to build the house over 18 years,” Kelly said. “It is the love of their life.” She eventually convinced a passing stranger to pose as a firefighter and order them out to safety.
BRIT SURVIVORS
Brit pals Maria Boudouri-carr and Zoe Cormack fear their teenage sons could have long-term health issues after fleeing the flames and wading through the sea to safety.
Zoe, 41, was just hours into a two-week holiday with son Saul, 14, friend Maria and Maria’s 13-year-old son Trevouan Carr – all from Bristol – when they had to race from billowing smoke. She said: “It was traumatising.” Saul said: “It felt like the world was ending.” Maria, 56, a carer, said: “The thing that we went through, the smells that we smelt is going to damage our kids.”
THE VOLUNTEERS
In the aftermath of the inferno, the country’s remarkable resilience shines through. The determination to rebuild the shattered lives is evident in the tables piled with provisions at refuge centres across Kineta and Attica, manned by hundreds of volunteers. Maria, 28, from Athens, said: “People are responding and that is the one piece of great news here.”
Indian expat Siddhartha Khanna, 34, who also lives in Athens, said 300 volunteers continue to pitch up at the Sports and Cultural Centre in Nea Makri daily. He said: “It is a tragic situation, but it is inspiring to see the numbers of people who care.”
On Friday Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras assumed political responsibility for the inferno.
It came amid rising anger towards the government about an apparent lack of evacuation plan for wildfires.
And this week Citizen Protection Minister Nikos Toskas said there were signals that arsonists triggered the blaze.
Firefighter Mike backed the shocking claims, adding: “Something is going on. With the timings of the fires starting so quickly one after another, from my experience with forest fires over many summers, I would say it is suspicious.”