A fire broke out in a first-floor apartment inside a residential building on Prousis Street in Nea Smyrni, a suburb just south of central Athens, in the early hours of Monday, forcing everyone living in the block to leave their homes.
Large fire brigade units rushed to the scene to bring the flames under control and stop the blaze from spreading to other apartments in the building.
Firefighters and equipment at the scene
Six fire engines and eighteen firefighters worked to put out the blaze. A specialised ladder vehicle was also sent to the scene after an initial report suggested residents were present on the building's other floors.
The fire started during the first hours of the morning, causing widespread alarm among people living in the block.
Residents flee down the stairwell
Most of the building's residents realised what was happening once they saw the smoke and flames, and managed to get out of the building through the stairwell.
One resident described how the fire became apparent, saying they heard a noise from below and then saw smoke and flames coming from the window of their apartment.
Residents alerted their neighbours and left the building together, and also opened the main entrance so firefighting crews could get inside and begin tackling the blaze without delay.
About Nea Smyrni
Nea Smyrni is a densely populated municipality directly south of central Athens, known for its large central square and shopping streets, and is one of the Greek capital's more established residential suburbs.
