Filenews 26 June 2021 -3pm
A new fire broke out in the village of Tala at around 15.00 this afternoon.
3 staffed fire trucks from Paphos Fire Stations have responded.
The two leased helicopters have been activated and an Aircraft of the Department of Forestry is headed for water drops.
Initial information indicates that the fire is located near residences.
NB - the fire is located in a ravine between Zelemenos and Kamares and is being fanned by the strong wind.
Filenews 26 June 2021 - by Dora Christodoulou - 3.52pm
A large-scale fire in a residential area broke out at this time in Tala. The fire rages out of control at the "Zelemenos" site in Leptos Kamares Village and poses an immediate risk to villas and other residences.
Some evacuations of homes were reported by the Fire Department at the urging of the Fire Department.
Some houses were reportedly damaged and cars burned.
Fire trucks were increased to 5 and reinforced with another 2 from Limassol Province.
In addition, support was requested from TM. Forestry, Thera Fund as well as civil defence and police.
Earlier, the two leased helicopters were activated and a Forest Department aircraft was directed for water drops.
Cyprus Mail 26 June 2021 by Gina Agapiou
Authorities were evacuating houses after a fire broke out close to a residential area near Tala village in Paphos, the fire service said on Saturday early afternoon.
Five fire engines and two helicopters were at the scene since the fire broke out at around 3pm, while two more fire vehicles were heading to help extinguish the blaze from Limassol, fire service spokesman Andreas Kettis tweeted on Saturday.
Police and the civil service were helping people to evacuate their houses around 4pm, Kettis said.
Two helicopters from the British bases were also expected to help in the operation raising the aircraft to nine, he said.
Several properties and vehicles were damaged in the fire, while residents were rushing with hosepipes outside to prevent the fire from spreading to their belongings, a nearby resident Martin Kennedy told the Cyprus Mail.
“We were quite concerned, the smoke is pretty grim,” Anthony Terrot, who also lives in the area, said.
Terrot said that some residents had dumped garden waste in empty plots in the village because local authorities were expected to come on Monday to pick it up.
According to Kettis, the fire service has adopted the Icaros 2 with coordinated firefighting efforts.
“The fire services have been and are being brilliant,” said Terrot.
Police said the causes of the fire will be investigated at a later stage once the fire is under control, but media reports suggest the fire might have been set maliciously as it appears to have originated in multiple points and mainly around villas in the area.
However, CyBC reported later in the day that police had taken two statements from residents saying the fire started from a spark from electricity power lines.
A homeowner using a hosepipe in an attempt to protect his property (The Kennedys Photography and Film)
Filenews 26 June 2021 - 4.58pm
A large-scale fire in a residential area broke out at this time in Tala. The fire rages out of control at the "Zelemenos" site in Leptos Kamares Village and poses an immediate risk to villas and other residences.
The IKAROS 2 project was activated with 7 aerial means, 2 leased helicopters and 3 aircraft of the Department of Forests.
As the Fire Department reports, civil defence police are evacuating homes. A number of houses and vehicles have been damaged, while forces are being reinforced with three more vehicles from Larnaca, Nicosia and EMAC Provinces.
Some houses were reportedly damaged and cars burned.
Fire in Tala -videoclip
Tala fire 2 - videoclip
Earlier support was requested from the Department of Forests, Thera Fund as well as from Civil Defence and Police.
The footage belongs to the correspondent of "F" in Paphos, Dora Christodoulou
 |
| Photo - Dora Christodoulou |
