\n<\/p>\n
A 10 year old girl has been taken to hospital after a major fire tore through a cafe on the ground floor of an apartment building in Nea Ionia, Athens, in the early hours of Monday.<\/p>\n
The girl, who lives with her family on the third floor, inhaled a significant amount of smoke and was taken to a children\u2019s hospital as a precaution. Her condition is reportedly not considered serious.<\/p>\n
The fire broke out at around 4:30am on Katastamonis Street and quickly spread from the cafe to apartments on the upper floors.<\/p>\n
Residents trapped by flames and smoke<\/p>\n
As the fire intensified, six residents became trapped inside the building.<\/p>\n
Several residents managed to reach the roof to escape the thick smoke and flames before firefighters arrived and rescued them using a specialist fire truck.<\/p>\n
Residents described terrifying scenes as flames spread rapidly through the building.<\/p>\n
One eyewitness said his wife woke him after seeing the cafe\u2019s awning on fire. He said the flames quickly engulfed the balcony and began moving into the building.<\/p>\n
An accountant whose office is located nearby also played a key role in alerting residents.<\/p>\n
After noticing the fire, he ran outside and began ringing apartment bells to wake people and warn them to evacuate.<\/p>\n
Extensive damage after cafe destroyed<\/p>\n
The cafe was left gutted by the blaze.<\/p>\n
Daylight revealed extensive damage throughout the apartment building, with walls blackened by smoke, shattered windows and furniture and household equipment damaged or melted by the intense heat.<\/p>\n
Firefighters remained at the scene for hours as they worked to extinguish the remaining pockets of fire and ensure the building was safe.<\/p>\n
Police investigate suspected arson<\/p>\n
Authorities are now seriously examining the possibility that the fire was deliberately started.<\/p>\n
Residents reported hearing several loud explosions shortly before the blaze rapidly intensified. Some witnesses said they heard as many as four explosions.<\/p>\n
Investigators also reportedly found traces of flammable liquid in different areas inside the damaged cafe.<\/p>\n
The findings are being examined as part of the investigation into whether the fire was an arson attack.<\/p>\n
The preliminary investigation has been assigned to the Extortion Prosecution Department of the Organised Crime Directorate.<\/p>\n
Cafe\u2019s history under investigation<\/p>\n
Police are also examining the history of the business and possible motives behind the suspected attack.<\/p>\n
The cafe owner said he had never received threats and was unaware of any disputes that could have led to an attack.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had never received threats. Nothing had troubled me. I don\u2019t know who could be behind the attack,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
However, authorities are also examining the cafe\u2019s history following a deadly incident at the same premises in February 2023.<\/p>\n
Deadly incident at same cafe in 2023<\/p>\n
On February 22, 2023, a fight involving seven people broke out at the venue, resulting in the death of a 37 year old customer.<\/p>\n
Two days earlier, on February 20, five unidentified men had reportedly robbed and stabbed the 16 year old son of the cafe\u2019s then owner.<\/p>\n
The business is now owned by a 22 year old, with investigators examining possible motives for the latest incident.<\/p>\n
Authorities are looking into whether the fire could be connected to previous attacks targeting foreign owned businesses in central Athens.<\/p>\n
They are also examining a possible scenario involving an order allegedly issued from inside a prison.<\/p>\n
Investigators are expected to analyse forensic evidence, witness statements and material recovered from inside the cafe as they work to establish exactly how the fire started and whether it was deliberately set.<\/p>\n
Source: ERT News<\/p>\n