A devastating wildfire that broke out on Tuesday afternoon (June 30) in low vegetation in the Lithi area of Oreokastro, Thessaloniki, has claimed two lives. Driven by powerful winds, the fire rapidly spread into forested land, reaching the outskirts of the Lithi settlement. It covered a distance of approximately three kilometers in just half an hour, posing an immediate threat to the community of 4,000 residents. The fire is no longer actively spreading, with firefighting crews continuing suppression operations throughout the night.
Thessaloniki wildfire: a scene of devastation where the two bodies were discovered
The area and home where the two victims were found have been reduced to ash, with search operations continuing under extremely difficult conditions. Firefighters initially located an unconscious 66-year-old man outside his residence, while a second body was discovered shortly afterward inside the house. Official forensic identification is still pending, but there are growing fears that the second body belongs to the family’s minor son, who had been reported missing. Meanwhile, the victims’ 40-year-old mother is currently receiving treatment at the Surgical Clinic of Hippokration General Hospital, with burns to her hands, neck, and thigh.
Mystery surrounds the second body
During cleanup operations that continued after the fire was brought under control, firefighters discovered on Tuesday evening (June 30) the body of an individual — whose identity remains unknown — inside a residence located in a forested area near Lithi. It has not yet been confirmed whether the body belongs to the 12-year-old boy who has been reported missing in the area. Earlier, during active firefighting efforts, crews had also discovered the body of a man in the forested area bordering the Lithi settlement, near the same residence. In addition, firefighters rescued a woman with burn injuries from near the same property; she was subsequently transported by an EKAB ambulance. The man and woman are the parents of the missing 12-year-old. According to available information, the second body was found close to the location where the child’s parents had been discovered. However, it has not yet been officially confirmed that the body found belongs to the missing boy.
