Heraklion, Crete – March 25, 2025
A fire that broke out at noon in a wood processing factory located in the Industrial Area of Heraklion has been successfully contained, thanks to a massive response from firefighting forces.
The blaze, which threatened to spread to nearby businesses, prompted a “titanic battle” by firefighters, as described by local media outlet iefimerida.gr.
According to Konstantinos Psaros, the coordinator of the Northern and Southern Aegean and Crete for the Fire Service, the fire has been confined to the specific factory where it originated. However, firefighting units remain stationed at adjacent businesses as a precaution, ready to intervene if necessary. “At this moment, we don’t have an issue with neighboring factories, as the fire has been contained,” Psaros told a local television station. He noted that the building’s mixed construction—featuring both concrete and metal elements—has posed challenges, with hanging metal sheets complicating efforts to advance deeper into the structure. Firefighters are proceeding with extreme caution, as reported by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (APE-MPE).
Michalis Seliniotakis, Commander of Crete’s Fire Services, described the response as a large-scale operation aimed at preventing the fire from spreading beyond the factory. “The service deployed 25 fire trucks and 12 support vehicles, along with the Special Disaster Response Unit (EMAK) and forces from across the island, as we are on general alert,” he said. Over 100 firefighters were involved in the effort, supported by critical assistance from various agencies and services, which ensured the blaze remained within the furniture processing facility.
The factory is no stranger to such incidents. According to local outlets zarpanews and cretalive, it suffered a significant fire in 2000. Today’s blaze, however, is said to have caused even greater damage.
Images from the scene, captured by patris and Stefanos Rapanis of EUROKINISSI, show the intensity of the firefighting efforts and the scale of the operation. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure the fire does not reignite or spread.
Photos: patris, Stefanos Rapanis / EUROKINISSI