Fires in Evia: how 25-year-old volunteers, in sandals and shorts, saved houses from fire

The villagers had to endure very dramatic moments during the catastrophic fire in Evia. How 25-year-old volunteers helped them, local media told.

Wuta, Cypressi, Monokarya. These are villages located in the north of Evia, which were almost completely wiped off the face of the earth by the fire element.

However, some of the buildings were still saved with the help of young people, who “stood up with their bosom” to save the “labor of a lifetime” – the family houses of the villagers.

20 and 25-year-old volunteers, showing enviable courage and courage, joined the ranks together with professional firefighters, giving all their best. Many were dressed in casual clothes – shorts and sandals. And yet they worked in the heart of the fires …

In a voice breaking with grief, the head of the Vota community, Antonis Vakos, told kathimerini.gr about the tragedy in the north of Evia and the superhuman efforts of the villagers to save their homes and property.

According to him, in the village of Kiparisi, the fire destroyed houses, and in Vutas, fortunately, the fire was extinguished even before it reached the houses. “We fought to the death,” he said. “Every day we tried to prepare ourselves, build fire ditches. Young and old took up shovels and worked tirelessly. This is about 50-70 people. “We had 2 fire brigades here,” added the head of the community.

“The fire was extinguished in Bermuda shorts and slippers” …
Thanasis Kutrodimos, a resident of Vota, spoke about the tremendous help provided by permanent residents aged 20-30, who did not leave, but stayed in the area and saved everything they could, their homes.

With vehement indignation, Mr. Cutrodimos spoke of the state’s “soullessness.” Their homes and property were saved by children who put out the flames in Bermuda shorts and slippers, in completely unsuitable (unlike firefighters) clothing, putting their lives and health at risk. “Who will reward these children?” Says the villager. At the same time, he noted the complete absence of aviation equipment.

“There was no evacuation plan. The authorities evicted people while houses were burning in other villages such as Rovies and Limni, ”the activist said. “The people who were forced to leave are mainly elderly people with limited mobility who actually did not want to leave because of fears about their property. I had a disabled woman, how was she transported? There was no planning, just the police, who, of course, did their job, shouted that it was necessary to evacuate immediately, ”said Thanasis Kutrodimos.

“We prayed and didn’t know what to do. Help came from the neighboring territories, we coordinated all operations with the help of motorcycles, ”he said and stressed that the residents of Vota continue to guard real estate, organizing patrols, guarding property in shifts. For his part, Georgy Vasias, a resident of Monokarya, expressed gratitude to the youth who saved the situation. However, he stressed that there was no help anywhere else. He described the atmosphere in the area as suffocating and said it was “simply impossible to breathe.”

A local resident noted that in Monokarya, not houses were burned, but the fields on which people lived. “We ask for help, the fire is surrounding the village of Galatsoni! Firefighters did not come to us, ”the villager complains,“ hoping for a miracle ”.

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