2 Dead, 500 Evacuated as Twin Fires Break Out Almost Simultaneously on Greek Island of Salamina

• Two people were found dead and over 500 residents were evacuated after two fires ignited within minutes of each other on the Greek island of Salamina
• About 200 firefighters, five patrol boats, aircraft, and 50 fire engines were deployed to stop the two blazes from merging into one
• At least 10 people suffered burns or smoke inhalation as authorities scrambled to protect the island's roughly 37,000 residents

Two people have died and more than 500 residents have been forced to flee by sea after two separate fires broke out within minutes of each other on Salamina, a Greek island located just west of Athens, on Sunday.

Fire official Vasilios Vathrakoyannis confirmed that the first blaze ignited at around 14:40 local time (11:40 GMT) in Peristeria, a southern part of the island where residential buildings sit alongside forested land. A second fire followed roughly 20 minutes later in the eastern town of Selinia.

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Firefighters who arrived at the scene of the first blaze discovered two bodies. The cause of both fires has not yet been established.

Evacuation and emergency response

Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiades said at least 10 people were treated for burns or smoke inhalation, with five of them receiving care locally. Five patrol boats were dispatched to the area, and several private vessels were also made available to assist with the sea evacuations.

According to BBC, authorities also deployed a number of aircraft and 50 fire engines, supported by water tankers and construction machinery.

Salamina Deputy Mayor Thodoris Zannis said the priority for firefighters was preventing the two fires from crossing over the island's central mountain range and merging into a single, far more dangerous blaze. Around 200 firefighters were working on that effort as the island remained under a high wildfire risk rating.

Salamina has a population of approximately 37,000, with many of its residents being elderly, making the rapid evacuation effort particularly critical.

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Wildfires spread across Europe

The crisis on Salamina is part of a wider pattern of destructive wildfires hitting Europe this weekend. In Belgium, firefighters spent a third consecutive day battling flames in Hautes Fagnes, the country's largest nature reserve. The fire has more than doubled in size within 24 hours and has been described as the largest in Belgium's recent history.

In Croatia, at least one person died and dozens were injured after a wildfire swept through the country's coastline overnight on Friday. Croatia's fire chief Slavko Tucakovic called it "one of the worst" blazes the country had seen, with around 1,200 residents and tourists evacuated from affected areas.

Fire guts federal bank's headquarters

Legit.ng earlier reported that a fire tore through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria's headquarters in Abuja on Saturday, August 1, with flames engulfing the upper floors of the building before emergency responders arrived at the scene.

Legit.ng reports that the building, which sits directly opposite the Central Bank of Nigeria's headquarters, was reported to be heavily affected on its fourth floor and above. The fire incident ignited concern among bystanders in the area.

Source: Legit.ng