Sure that the fire in New Makri is arson, declares the ethnos.gr ο Mayor of Marathon Stergios Circas. The fire broke out on Monday night, September 20, almost simultaneously on several fronts, with the fire department quickly managing to control both. However, the fire spread within the residential fabric as strong winds blew in Nea Makri.
Mayor of Marathon: The fire in Nea Makri was an arson
As stated in ethnos.gr ο Mayor of Marathon Stergios Circas fire is arson. He characteristically stated that the fire is «100% arson» and continued: «The fire started on two fronts in St. Ephraim. We were also set on fire 10 days ago,» he recalled.
«They want to burn us», was the angry reaction of the mayor, speaking to ethnos.gr, while the fire was in progress. Shortly after one in the morning on Monday, September 21, the picture of the fire was better as the winds died down. «Our ally is the weather and the readiness of the Fire Department, but also firefighting teams of the municipality whom I thank,» noted the Sergios Circas.
Scattered outbreaks of fire
Speaking to OPEN TV on Sunday evening, the resident of the area John Bavelas, explained that the citizens went to the beach of Nea Makri. «All the people have headed to the square and the beach. I heard from residents that houses have also been burned,» he noted.
The deputy regional governor Nikos Pippas, speaking to OPEN shortly after midnight, said the fire had entered the residential fabric. An hour later, after 1 a.m. Monday, the picture looked better. As he told ethnos.gr the deputy mayor John Kyriakou «everything went well. Small foci remain. The drop in wind intensity helped.».
This was confirmed by the fire brigade shortly after half past one in the evening, whose sources said that the fire is now contained, but all night the firefighting forces are on alert for any reignitions.
#Fire in a forest area in Nea Makri, Attica. Ground forces were mobilized.
- Fire Department (@pyrosvestiki) September 20, 2021
Fire close to houses
The fire broke out in two different places and quickly the flames reached close to houses.
On the order of the Chief of the Police, Lieutenant General Stephanos Kolokouris, a team of the Directorate of Arson Crimes to investigate the causes of the fire. At the same time, the fire brigade forces were reinforced and shortly after midnight 50 firefighters with 20 vehicles, 2 hiking sections, the motorized section (METPE) and many volunteers were operating.
By order of the Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Stephanos Kolokouris, a team of the MAEE is going to Nea Makri, Attica, to investigate the causes of the fire.
- Fire Department (@pyrosvestiki) September 20, 2021
