A wildfire that swept through northern Greece has left a 66-year-old man dead, while a second body, believed to be that of his 12-year-old son, was found inside the family’s home, authorities said, turning the fast-moving blaze into a family tragedy.
The fire broke out around midday Tuesday in low vegetation near Derveni, in the Oreokastro municipality northwest of Thessaloniki, before spreading rapidly toward the village of Liti and a nearby pine forest. Strong winds fueled the flames and hampered firefighting efforts.
Firefighters initially discovered the body of the 66-year-old man in the yard of his home on the edge of a forested area near Liti. A 40-year-old woman, identified as his wife and the boy’s mother, was found at the scene with burn injuries. She was taken by ambulance to Ippokrateio Hospital in Thessaloniki, where she remained hospitalized with burns, mainly to her hands, but was reported to be out of danger.
Authorities later found a second body inside the family’s home. Although formal identification was still pending, officials believe the remains are those of the couple’s 12-year-old son, who had been reported missing during the emergency.
The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.
