Fire at Kalo Chorio range threatened three villages

A large fire broke out at the Kalo Chorio military range after National Guard ammunition was destroyed. The flames spread rapidly, threatening the communities of Kalo Chorio, Agia Anna and Psevdas in the Larnaca district.

Residents of Agia Anna and Psevdas were instructed to evacuate, while the fire services, the Department of Forests and Civil Defence were placed on heightened alert.

As a result of the fire, large areas of pine forest and wild vegetation were burned. During the firefighting operation, one volunteer was injured and taken to hospital.

Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas said that the decision to destroy the ammunition in high temperatures was unprofessional. According to him, an investigation into the cause of the fire has been launched, and action will be taken if violations are identified.

Residents of the affected villages also expressed dissatisfaction that a message from the Cy-Alert system warning of the danger arrived only several hours after the fire began. They said that local authorities had started warning people about the danger earlier.