The situation has become even more dire due to the major fire that broke out at noon in Derveni, in the municipality of Oreokastro, as, in addition to the man who died and the 40-year-old woman who suffered burns, a minor from the area is also missing.

In a conversation between CNN Greece and the community leader of Liti, George Tola, he confirmed that the missing person is a boy who has been missing from Litis for the past few hours and whose family has reported him missing.

The fact that the child went missing while a major fire was raging in the area makes the situation particularly alarming, prompting an immediate response from the authorities.

The Fire Department has already begun searches following the extinguishing of the major fire, attempting to access areas previously engulfed by the flames.

READ ALSO: Fire in Derveni: Man’s body found in the forest, woman rescued | AlphaNews

Situation Improving Regarding the Fire in Derveni

The situation regarding the fire that broke out in Derveni, in the municipality of Oreokastro, Thessaloniki, has improved; the fire has been contained following a major mobilization by the Fire Department and as winds have died down.

However, aerial water drops continue at full intensity, as the goal is to contain the fire as much as possible before sunset, when aerial operations will cease.

The head of the Independent Directorate of Civil Protection for the Region of Central Macedonia, Charalambos Stergiadis, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) that the situation regarding the fire in Liti has improved. According to him, wind speeds in the area have dropped and are currently around 3 Beaufort.

The Region of Central Macedonia, along with neighboring municipalities, is assisting the Fire Department’s efforts with water tankers and earth-moving equipment to create firebreaks.

Continuous water drops

The fire spread uncontrollably, starting in Derveni and reaching the outskirts of the village of Liti, which has a population of 4,000.

Aircraft and helicopters continue to make successive drops, reinforcing the efforts of ground crews. At the same time, a large ground firefighting force is operating in the field to contain the flames and prevent them from reaching the village of Liti.

According to the latest update from the Fire Department, 115 firefighters are operating in the area, along with three forest firefighting teams, 36 vehicles, volunteers, and machinery provided by local authorities. Ten aircraft and three helicopters are periodically conducting aerial operations, carrying out continuous water drops.

Body Found – One Burn Victim

During the operation, the body of a man was found in a forested area on the border with Liti. At the same time, firefighters rescued a woman with burns from the exterior of a residence. The injured woman was initially transported to a safe location by firefighters and then picked up by an EKAV ambulance for transport to a hospital. The woman, who is 40 years old, is being treated at the Surgical Clinic of the Hippocrates Hospital in Thessaloniki.

According to reports, the woman has burns mainly on her hands, as well as on her thigh and neck; her vital signs are stable, and her life is not in danger.

The fire broke out at 2:30 p.m. in low vegetation in Derveni and quickly spread due to the winds into a forested area. According to the president of the Liti community, Giorgos Tola, the fire spread from Anthoupoli toward Liti. He stated that an abandoned house in the forest was destroyed by the fire.

Two alerts from 112

Due to the fire’s progression, two warning messages were sent via 112. The first, at 3:40 p.m., informed residents about the fire in the area, while the second, at 4:40 p.m., urged those in Liti to evacuate as a precautionary measure toward the local sports field.