The death toll from last Tuesday’s wildfire in Derveni, northwest of Thessaloniki, has risen to three after a 53-year-old woman died in hospital following a heart attack she suffered as the flames approached her home.
Two members of the same family – a 66-year-old man and his 12-year-old son – were killed in the blaze. A 40-year-old woman, identified as the man’s wife and the boy’s mother, remains hospitalized with burn injuries.
The fire broke out in the Oreokastro municipality before spreading into the neighboring municipality of Pavlos Melas, destroying homes and businesses. Authorities said three businesses were completely destroyed, while three others sustained damage.
Investigators are examining whether the fire started in a 76-year-old man’s vehicle after a spark or other mechanical fault while it was in a ravine in the area.
The 76-year-old was arrested on suspicion of causing the fire and brought before a prosecutor before being released. The prosecutor ordered a preliminary investigation, to be carried out by the fire service.
