In the midst of a four-day wildfire crisis in the forested region of northern Greece, the Greek fire service has tragically uncovered eighteen bodies. While initial indications point towards the victims being migrants, a comprehensive inquiry is underway. The location of the incident is within the Dadia forest, and both a coroner and an investigative team are en route to the site.
The afflicted area, situated near the Turkish border, has borne the brunt of relentless wildfires in the Evros region of north-eastern Greece. Amidst the unfolding disaster, even a hospital in Alexandroupolis, the city closest to the inferno, had to be evacuated. The evacuation process extended to safeguarding newborns and patients requiring intensive care, who were carefully transferred to a ferry docked at the port.
Earlier, another death – suspected to be that of a migrant – had been reported in a nearby village, prompting emergency services to issue text alerts urging residents to evacuate. The Dadia national park, a sprawling wooded expanse north of Alexandroupolis, has become a hotspot for the rapid spread of these fires since the onset on Monday.
On Tuesday, amidst the charred remnants of a building, the fire brigade stumbled upon the distressing discovery of eighteen bodies near a hut located outside the village of Avantas. As authorities delve into this heart-wrenching incident, they are considering the possibility that the victims might have entered Greece through illegal means, as no reports of missing local residents have surfaced.
Though not yet confirmed, there are unverified accounts that the bodies were found in two separate clusters, sparking concerns that the count of casualties might rise. The fire service maintains its diligent investigation across the expanses affected by the blaze, determined to uncover the full extent of the tragedy.
