Fiery Hell in Corinth: Mourning for the Volunteer Heroes who Left Behind Young Children

The pain of the families of the two friends who rushed to offer help in the terrifying fire front of Corinth is indescribable. They lost their lives, trapped by the fiery inferno in Xylokastro. The fire continues to burn uncontrollably, while there are reports of injured firefighters. Smoke plumes from the fire are visible from Attica.

390 firefighters are operating at the scene with 16 ground firefighting teams and 115 vehicles, volunteers and volunteer Civil Protection groups, as well as water trucks and earthmoving machinery from the Peloponnese Region and the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, as well as forces from the Forest Service and the Hellenic Police. 24 aerial vehicles are operating from the air, 12 airplanes and 12 helicopters, 2 of which are for their coordination.

At the same time, successive messages via the emergency number 112 have been sent to residents of settlements in the wider area due to the ongoing fire. Specifically, today, messages have been sent via 112 to residents of the areas of Pyrgos, Chelydoreo, Zacholi, Lagkadaika, Spartinaika, Pellini, Ano Kallithea Xylokastrou, in order to evacuate.

It is recalled that on Sunday evening the two friends and residents of the area, aged 35 and 40, rushed to help an acquaintance of theirs at a sheepfold in the area, but their traces were soon lost, while the fiery hell spread, with strong winds blowing at the scene.

The two friends set off on their motorcycles from Likopouria and when they reached Ano Pitsa to offer help, they were trapped and tragically lost their lives. In fact, the 40-year-old sent a video to his family shortly before they disappeared, with chilling images.

The 40-year-old was a father of three, while the 35-year-old had two children and was expecting his third soon, as his wife is pregnant. The 40-year-old owned a car repair shop, and the 35-year-old was a farmer. The two were very good friends.

Their families were called to identify the bodies of their loved ones today and unfortunately the tragedy was confirmed.

Sister of 40-year-old: "The fire surrounded them"
Unable to comprehend the cruel twist of fate, the sister of the 40-year-old described speaking to Live News: "I feel like I'm telling a fairy tale. Nothing I say will change what happened. It doesn't bring him back. He stayed to help, I don't know why, because that's what his mind told him to do. The fire surrounded them and he didn't make it. We had no trace of him after 9:30 pm."

"Tragic situation" says the mayor of Xylokastro
The situation, due to the fire that broke out on Sunday in the Rozena area, "remains tragic for the second day in a row", said the mayor of Xylokastro - Eurostini, Vlasis Tsiotos, speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

He added that "there are many active outbreaks, while a large part of the mountainous area has already burned". In fact, as Vlasis Tsiotos describes, "battles have been fought with the flames literally inside the villages, where fire, firefighters and residents coexisted. Tonight is critical so that the fire does not cross into the last area it has not reached, namely the areas of Karya and Trikala."

Regarding the damage caused by the fire so far, Vlasis Tsiotos told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency that "there is total destruction of crops", while, he added, "relatively few houses have burned".