Fallen firefighter Ioannis Zafeiropoulos remembered as humble hero

The funeral of firefighter Ioannis Zafeiropoulos who was killed in the line of duty, was held on Tuesday at Agios Georgios in Alexandroupolis.

In attendance was Lieutenant General Stefanos Kolokouris, Chief of the Hellenic Fire Service and Deputy governor of the Evros region, Dimitris Petrovic.

Zafeiropoulos, along with other firemen, were rescuing children and teachers from a flooded kindergarten on Monday.

At the school, the small firefighting vehicle which was driven by Zafeiropoulos, became trapped in a flooded storm drain.

According to Petrovits, the 46-year-old firefighter was able to exit the vehicle but was swept away by fast-flowing water.

"I am here today to express, as Chief of the Fire Brigade, my deep sorrow and grief over the incident in which a young man from the Fire Brigade, from the family of the Fire Brigade, lost his life, performing his duty diligently," said Lieutenant General Stefanos Kolokouris.

He assuring that he will "everything necessary for the family of the deceased. The whole Fire Brigade and the political leadership will stand together, so that we can give everything we need to this family that suffered the unjust loss of the firefighter."

The Chief of the Fire Brigade also stated that psychosocial officers went to Alexandroupolis with him, to support his family and team members.

GCT Team

This article was researched and written by a GCT team member.