Pafos Live 16 October 2024
One of the most emblematic buildings of Pafos, the listed building in which APOP was housed for years, no longer exists.
It was destroyed by a fire that started in the smokestack of the restaurant on the ground floor and spread rapidly throughout the building. The second floor housed a company.
The fire brigade and the police began last night investigating the causes of the catastrophic fire in an emblematic and listed building in the centre of Paphos. The scene has been cordoned off and examinations continue today.
The historic building, a few meters away from the municipal palace, on Eros Square, hosts a catering business on the ground floor, while previously it housed on the first floor the historical association of APOP. Recently the floor was renovated and housed the offices of a private company. The fire started on the first floor of the two-story building, probably from the smokestack of the restaurant.
According to the Fire Brigade Spokesman, Andreas Kettis, the timely intervention of the fire brigade managed to protect the restaurant on the ground floor, with the damage there being limited. Mr. Kettis assured that "there was no danger to human lives." The first floor, however, suffered total destruction, as the wooden roof collapsed, while serious damage was caused to its contents and equipment. The Fire Brigade, with the assistance of four vehicles and a telescopic platform, contained the spread of the fire and protected the adjacent premises.
Update - Filenews
With the burnt remains smoking even the first floor of the building completely destroyed, the Fire Brigade, the Electromechanical Service, the Police and the Department of Labor Inspection began today the search inside the building to find evidence and evidence that can form the full picture of how the catastrophic fire started. From the investigations of the first hours, however, it is assumed that the fire started from the first floor of the building and particular importance is attached to checking the smokestack of the restaurant operating on the ground floor and whether it showed a malfunction that contributed to causing the fire on the first floor.
This possibility was confirmed today by the Police, with the Assistant Police Director of Pafos, Michalis Nicolaou, stating that at the time the fire broke out in the company's offices, about 20 people were working, while three more people were working in the restaurant area. From the testimony obtained, he said, there emerged testimony that the fire was accidentally caused by the funnel. Specifically, it is alleged that while an employee of the restaurant was trying to light the coals on the barbecue, a fire broke out in the smokestack of the kitchen.
Although extinguishing efforts were made by those present, he said, this was not possible and as a result the fire spread through the smokestack to the company's offices on the first floor. The fire completely destroyed the building on the first floor.
On the ground floor the damage is less than on the first floor, since on the last floor the destruction was accelerated and magnified by the wooden roof that immediately caught fire. According to the Fire Brigade Spokesman, Andreas Kettis, the timely intervention of the fire brigade managed to protect the restaurant on the ground floor, with the damage there being limited. Mr. Kettis assured that there was no danger to human lives.
The first floor, however, suffered total destruction, as the wooden roof collapsed, while serious damage was caused to its contents and equipment. Recently, it housed offices of a private company, while the area is inextricably intertwined with the historic sports club of Pafos, APOP, which for decades maintained its offices there.
Announcements were issued, expressing their sorrow for what happened yesterday, both by the Mayor of Pafos, Phedon Phedonos, APOP, as well as by representatives of the public life of the city.
