Greece is paying tribute to 27-year-old Deputy Fire Chief Konstantinos Laimodetis, who died while battling a major wildfire in Gythio, with a funeral held Friday in his hometown of Agrinio.
The funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Church of Saint Constantine in Agrinio. The Hellenic Fire Service is conducting the ceremony with full hero’s honors, attended by its political and operational leadership, as well as a government representative.
Young Officer Remembered for Distinguished Service
Laimodetis served as deputy commander of the Gythio Fire Service, where he had been stationed since June 2025. Originally from Agrinio, where his family still lives, he began his firefighting career through an internship with the Agrinio Fire Service.
The only child of a local teacher, Laimodetis entered the Firefighters Academy in 2017, graduating with distinction before continuing his education at the Fire Officers Academy. After serving for two years in Athens, he was assigned to Gythio, where he was promoted to deputy commander.
Death Confirmed as Line-of-Duty Fatality
According to reports, Laimodetis died from inhaling toxic smoke rather than from natural causes, confirming that his death occurred in the line of duty.
The young officer had been actively participating in efforts to contain the wildfire in Gythio. After he stopped responding to radio calls, fellow firefighters searched for him and found him unconscious about an hour later.
Wildfires Take Heavy Toll on Fire Service
Laimodetis’ death adds to the growing toll of this year’s wildfire season in Greece. The Hellenic Fire Service has now lost three firefighters during wildfire operations.
In addition to Laimodetis, two firefighters were killed while battling the massive wildfire in Krya Vrysi, in the southern Rethymno region of Crete.
Three other firefighters have also been injured in recent wildfire operations. Two were hurt while responding to the blaze in Sitia, Crete, while another suffered a fractured leg during firefighting efforts in Plomari on the island of Lesbos.
Seasonal Firefighters Demand Accountability
Seasonal firefighters have also expressed anger over early reports suggesting that Laimodetis died of natural causes.
In a statement posted on Facebook, they cited the forensic findings from Sparta Hospital, saying the deputy commander died from smoke inhalation while on duty.
The group criticized reports that initially attributed the death to unrelated medical causes, saying such claims attempted to downplay the circumstances of the tragedy.
“We express our outrage and anger because, from the very beginning, reports referred to natural causes unrelated to the wildfire, attempting to diminish what happened,” the statement said. “We will not allow the truth about the deaths of our three colleagues to be covered up.”
