‘We didn’t see a fire brigade’ – Souni resident scathing of state response to fire

Chris Havariyoun, a resident of the village of Souni-Zanakia, one of the villages worst affected by the wildfire which tore through the Limassol district this week, was on Saturday scathing of the state’s response to it.

His house was one of the many houses in his village which was severely damaged by the fire, while his car was completely destroyed.

He told the Cyprus News Agency that he had noticed “smoke from afar” shortly after 5pm on Wednesday and had begun pouring smoke on a neighbouring field.

“A little later, a pickup truck arrived with five people in it, who shouted at us to leave quickly, while my wife panicked,” he said.

“Instead of telling us to fight to save our property, they came and scared the living daylights out of us. We left, but we didn’t see a fire brigade or anything,” he said, adding that a neighbour of his who refused to evacuate “managed to save his property using water”.

He then turned his attention to the matter of compensation.

“How can the Republic of Cyprus compensate me for the damage I suffered? Also, what will happen tomorrow if there is a war in Cyprus? Will they advise us to take our women and leave and let the Turks come in?”