Family of Limassol wildfire victims still seeking answers, one year on

Local fireLimassolTop News Family of Limassol wildfire victims still seeking answers, one year on Elderly Couple Died In Limassol Fire Before Road Closure, Investigation Finds Relevant News Family of Limassol wildfire victims still seeking answers, one year on 23 July 2026 Trozena investment awaits make-or-break environment ruling 23 July 2026 Community Relations Fund donates €54,000 to Cyprus SBA communities 23 July 2026 Ioanna Mantzipa 23 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber A year has passed since the afternoon of July 23, 2025, when Cyprus suffered one of the worst disasters in its recent history. A wildfire that broke out in the community of Malia swept through the Limassol mountains, killing two people, destroying properties, burning hundreds of homes and leaving wounds that have been slow to heal. The fire was described at the time as the country’s greatest disaster since the 1974 Turkish invasion. One year later, the landscape in the fire-hit communities still bears the scars. Blackened hillsides, burnt tree trunks and the ruins of homes remain as a daily reminder of what happened. Houses will be rebuilt, and nature will recover in time. What has not faded is the memory of what residents of the 13 affected communities went through as they confronted the fire and its destruction, along with the fear, the evacuations and the fight against the flames that stayed with them. In the aftermath, volunteers, ordinary citizens, organised groups and people from across Cyprus came forward to support those who had lost homes and possessions within hours. “Their absence is felt every day” The fire killed two people: 85-year-old Demetris Philippides Pastou and his wife, Maro Avraam Philippides, 77. The couple had been staying at their summer house in Silikou and tried to leave the village as the flames closed in. They did not make it out, and were found burned inside their car on the Monagri-Alassa road. A year on, their nephew, Kristis Philippides, spoke to philenews about the loss. “The year has been hard, especially for those of us who saw our uncle every day. Every one or two days he’d come by the office, we’d have our coffee and talk. His absence is obvious everywhere, especially at family meals and gatherings. His seat was empty. We miss them both.” The couple’s memorial service was held last Sunday in Polemidia, in an emotional atmosphere. “The last call is still on my phone” Some moments have not faded with time. Philippides still keeps the last unanswered call to his uncle stored on his phone. “I’ve never deleted it. It’s still saved on my phone. On July 23, at around 10:36pm, I called them to see if they were okay. I was driving back from Larnaca and, as I reached the Kandou area, I saw the flames coming down the mountain. I’d spoken to my uncle that afternoon, and he’d come by our office the day before. We sat, had our coffee, and helped him pay some bills online, since he wasn’t familiar with it. When I saw the size of the fire, my first thought was to call my uncle. I wanted to know if they’d stayed in the village or come to Limassol with my aunt. The call was never answered.” The next morning, he tried calling his aunt. “At around 10:15 the next morning I called her, but she didn’t answer either. I assumed she might be asleep. A little later, around 11, police informed us that they were the tragedy’s two victims.” “Why was that road left open?” A year on, questions still trouble the victims’ relatives. Philippides asks why the couple ended up on the road where they became trapped. “The community leader told us he rang the bells, gathered people in the square and pointed them toward a specific escape route. Our question is simple. If instructions had been given to use a different road, why was the road that turned out to be a trap left open? It was the shortest road they knew, and naturally they followed it. It should have been closed. If police and Civil Defence had closed the road in time, maybe things would be different today.” The family is still waiting for a full investigation into the case and for responsibility to be established. “What happened must be a lesson for everyone. There needs to be better organisation and coordination, so that no one ever has to live through what we did again. If everything had been done correctly, maybe our people would still be with us today.” For the relatives of Demetris and Maro Philippides, time has not acted as a healer. The loss remains as raw as ever, as does the need for answers about the circumstances that led to their unjust deaths. Read more: ‘State failures cost my parents’ lives,’ daughter of couple who died in Limassol fire says Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Trozena investment awaits make-or-break environment ruling Community Relations Fund donates €54,000 to Cyprus SBA communities Southeast Asia hosts security gathering amid Middle East turmoil Israelis fear Saudi nuclear deal could ignite Mideast arms race Heavy rain and flooding kills 82 across India, Pakistan and Afghanistan Reuters: Greece to buy €3.5 billion air defence system from Israel On this day: Lance Armstrong won Tour de France for a record seventh time in 2005 Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.