A firefighter was photographed rescuing a family dog from a residential fire on Saturday, an incident that left eight people hospitalised due to smoke inhalation.
The image, shared by Fire Service Spokesperson Andreas Kettis, shows a member of the crew carrying the animal from a two-storey apartment block after a blaze broke out in a first-floor bedroom.
Χαρακτηριστική φωτογραφία από το πιο πάνω περιστατικό. Το μέλος μας μεταφέρει με ασφάλεια το σκυλάκι σε ασφαλή χώρο . Η πράξη του υπενθυμίζει πως ο σεβασμός και η φροντίδα για κάθε ζωντανό πλάσμα είναι δείγμα ανθρωπιάς. pic.twitter.com/ukcua2KzmZ
— Andreas Kettis (@akettis) January 24, 2026
While the rescue has been cited by officials as a gesture of care, the fire itself caused significant damage and required a large-scale evacuation. Two children were among those taken to Larnaca General Hospital for respiratory treatment.
The fire spread smoke and thermal gases throughout the building’s stairwell, trapping several occupants on the upper floors. Although three residents managed to exit the building immediately, five others were led to safety by firefighters using breathing apparatus.
Two ambulances were dispatched to transport the eight casualties to the Accident and Emergency department.
Fire crews confirmed that while the flames were limited to a single room, the “chimney effect” in the stairwell caused extensive soot and heat damage to other flats in the complex.
Preliminary findings by the Fire Service suggest the blaze was caused by an electrical fault in a lighting fixture.
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