Fire in Alassa area extinguished (Update 2)

The fire service announced on Saturday that they had extinguished a blaze in the Alassa area that broke out the day before and threatened a scrapyard and a petrol station.

Firefighters worked through the night on Friday to keep a massive fire contained.

Fire brigade spokesman Andreas Kettis said late Friday there were still some pockets of fire where vehicles had burned in the scrapyard. Otherwise the fire was contained and manageable, he said.

Kettis said early Saturday the fire had also damaged a timber yard in the area. “Strong ground forces are still operating in the area,” he said. Helicopters were dropping water where needed, he added.

The fire, which broke out in the afternoon on Friday was brought under control around 8pm after destroying one and a half kilometres of dry grass, wild vegetation and trees. All pockets were finally extinguished on Saturday afternoon.

More than 17 fire engines from the fire brigade and the forestry department and at least two diggers were initially called in as well as nine aircraft.

Alassa’s mayor told the press he was certain that the fire was set maliciously.

In a statement to the media, Emilios Tofallis, said that in about a month and a half, four fires had been recorded in the area and “it is sad because these are deliberate fires, they are not set alone, that is, I don’t believe it is from human activities, it must be malicious fires.”