A large fire that broke out Thursday afternoon near Agios Ioannis Chostos in the Heraklion regional unit of Crete is currently still burning.
The incident triggered an immediate response, with a substantial Fire Service deployment rushing to battle the blaze and contain its spread.
The fire spread rapidly to nearby residential properties, forcing authorities to activate an emergency 112 alert ordering the evacuation of the area.
Homes Engulfed in Flames
As reported by neakriti.gr, the fire grew quickly to major proportions due to the highly flammable nature of the material involved — lumber — prompting an immediate large-scale firefighting response. Eighteen Fire Service personnel are currently on the ground operating six vehicles, while a helicopter has also been deployed to conduct water drops over the warehouse.
Reports indicate that three homes and one business have been consumed by the flames. Firefighters are battling to contain the fire line and prevent it from spreading further.
The fire broke out under circumstances that remain unknown, earlier this Thursday afternoon (06/25), in the pallet storage area of the facility.
The dense black smoke rising from the factory is visible from multiple areas across Heraklion.
