larnaca fire — larnaca fire — A firefighter was photographed rescuing a family dog from a residential fire in Larnaca on Saturday, an incident that resulted in eight people being hospitalised due to smoke inhalation.
The dramatic rescue was captured and shared by Fire Service Spokesperson Andreas Kettis, who posted an image showing a crew member carrying the dog to safety from the two-storey apartment block. The fire ignited in a first-floor bedroom, rapidly spreading smoke and heat throughout the building.
While the act of rescuing the dog has been celebrated as a testament to the compassion shown by firefighters, the blaze caused significant distress and required a large-scale evacuation of the building. Among the eight hospitalised, two were children, who were taken to Larnaca General Hospital for respiratory treatment.
As the fire raged, smoke and thermal gases filled the stairwell, trapping several residents on the upper floors. Eyewitnesses reported that three occupants managed to escape the building immediately, while firefighters worked diligently to lead five others to safety using breathing apparatus.
Emergency response was swift, with two ambulances dispatched to transport the casualties to the Accident and Emergency department. Fire crews later confirmed that the flames were initially confined to a single room, but the so-called “chimney effect” in the stairwell resulted in extensive soot and heat damage affecting other flats in the complex.
Preliminary investigations by the Fire Service indicated that the blaze was likely caused by an electrical fault in a lighting fixture. The incident highlights the dangers posed by residential fires and the importance of having functional smoke alarms and fire safety measures in place.
