A man was found dead inside a burned-out vehicle after a wildfire broke out Tuesday afternoon in the Imero Pefko area on the outskirts of Pikermi, east of Athens.
The fire broke out near the boundaries of Pikermi and Spata and spread rapidly, according to information cited in the report. During the firefighting operation, firefighters discovered the man’s charred remains inside the vehicle.
Authorities are investigating whether the fire started with the car. So far, there are no indications that the man’s death was a suicide.
More than 120 firefighters and four aircraft were deployed to the area as the blaze prompted a major emergency response. The fire was brought under control in the afternoon.
How the fire may have started
George Kalliakmanis, commenting on the incident, said the man may have lost control of the vehicle, possibly because of a medical issue.
“It appears that this man, apparently for medical reasons, lost control and crashed,” Kalliakmanis said. “He left the road, hit a curb and ended up where there was dry grass.”
According to Kalliakmanis, the vehicle then caught fire, and the flames spread to the surrounding area.
Fortunately, he said, the fire did not spread to a large extent and firefighters were able to bring it under control. Greece’s 112 emergency alert system was also activated to notify residents, as is done in such circumstances.
A witness reportedly saw the vehicle initially making unusual maneuvers before leaving the road and crashing at the location.
“I don’t know whether this person lost consciousness or whether something else happened. The Fire Department’s investigation will show that,” Kalliakmanis said.
