Zephyri fire: Wood stove ashes suspected of causing blaze that killed two firefighters

Ashes and other combustion residues from a wood-burning stove are believed to have contributed to the deadly fire that broke out in an abandoned building in Zephyri, western Attica, on Saturday (November 14), claiming the lives of two firefighters aged 44 and 23.

According to the Greek Fire Service, preliminary findings suggest that a 34-year-old woman, her 44-year-old husband and their two daughters, aged 13 and 16, had been disposing of combustion residues from a wood-burning stove in the building’s stairwell.

The family had been using the stove to heat the ground-floor premises where they were living.

Authorities believe this practice may be directly linked to the outbreak of the fire, although the investigation into the precise circumstances remains ongoing.

The 34-year-old mother and her two teenage daughters were arrested after reportedly admitting that they had been dumping the stove residues inside the building.

The woman’s 44-year-old husband is being sought by police under the immediate arrest procedure.

What investigators discovered at the scene

According to a Fire Service statement, investigators examining the building discovered rubbish, plastics and other combustible materials, which are being assessed to determine how the fire started and spread.

“Based on the evidence gathered so far, the disposal of these residues is directly linked, in terms of causation, to the outbreak of the fire,” the Fire Service said.

Immediately after the incident, the Athens Arson Investigation Unit, working alongside the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes, launched an investigation into the causes and circumstances of the blaze.

Following an assessment of the evidence collected, officers, assisted by the Zephyri Security Department of the Hellenic Police, brought the 34-year-old woman and her two daughters in for questioning.

After investigators reviewed the preliminary case material, all three were formally arrested.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities seek to establish the exact cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Two scenarios being examined over firefighters’ deaths

Authorities are also investigating two possible explanations for how the firefighters lost their lives during the operation.

The first scenario suggests that the two men may have slipped on a staircase inside the building and fallen, sustaining serious injuries that subsequently proved fatal.

However, the second and currently more likely scenario is that they became disoriented in the basement because of the extremely difficult conditions inside the burning structure.

Under this theory, the firefighters may have succumbed to smoke and toxic fumes after the air supplies in their breathing apparatus were exhausted.

The exact circumstances of their deaths have yet to be established.

The Greek Fire Service has also announced a formal internal administrative investigation into the incident.

How the Zephyri tragedy unfolded

The fire broke out shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, in an abandoned building on Katsantoni Street in Zephyri.

A total of 20 firefighters from three fire stations, along with personnel from the 1st Special Disaster Response Unit (EMAK), were deployed to tackle the blaze.

During the firefighting operation, three firefighters became trapped inside the burning building.

Two were recovered unconscious and taken by emergency ambulances to Attikon Hospital, where they died despite efforts by medical staff to save them.

The victims were a 44-year-old senior firefighter and a 23-year-old firefighter who had taken his oath just two months earlier, having graduated with the latest class from the Ptolemaida Firefighters’ Academy.

The third firefighter, aged 43, was reportedly on the ground floor of the building and managed to escape the flames, although he sustained injuries.

Injured firefighter recovering in hospital

The 43-year-old firefighter who survived the incident is being treated at the 251 Hellenic Air Force General Hospital and is reported to be out of danger.

According to available information, he remains in a state of shock and has suffered significant psychological distress following the events inside the building.

After escaping, he was assisted by fellow firefighters and transported to hospital, where he continues to receive treatment.

Meanwhile, the Greek Fire Service is in mourning following the deaths of the two firefighters, whose loss has devastated their families and colleagues.