GREECE: Ancient Olympia site saved but Greek fires kills at least 61

Firefighters save ancient Olympia from raging flames but forest fires ravaged nearby villages and the number of dead from Greece's three-day inferno rises to at least 61. Firefighters have managed to save the marble temples and stadiums of ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. But forest fires that have killed at least 61 people in Greece raged for a fourth day on Monday (August 26), with at least 89 blazes still burning across the country as strong winds fanned flames and hampered fire-fighting efforts. The worst forest fires in decades have swept across Greece's southern Peloponnese peninsula, Attica and the island of Evia, razing hundreds of villages and almost destroying the ancient site of Olympia. On Sunday, firefighters, volunteers and site employees saved Olympia as flames licked the walls of the site's museum. Firefighters were concentrating on stemming the fire's advance on the town of Gryllo, between the devastated town of Zacharo and Ancient Olympia. Thousands of people have fled the fires, seeking temporary refuge in schools, hotels and regional health centres. Thick black smoke billowed over the preserved ruins of the site of the first Olympic Games. Slowly, the blaze crept up a hillside, engulfing surrounding pine and cypress woods. A fire brigade spokesman said the fire was stopped just before entering the archaeological site, using six planes, two helicopters, 15 fire appliances and 45 firefighters. The fires scorched the yard of the museum, housing a number of famous classical sculptures such as Hermes by Praxiteles and other finds from the ruins of the temples and sports facilities, Greek television said. Ancient Olympia boasts the ruins of the stadium and pagan temples that hosted the Olympics for centuries from 776 BC and is the site of an Olympic flame ceremony every two years.

ITN Source | August 27, 2007

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