Firefighters calm deadly Athens inferno

Greek emergency services fought back Tuesday against a massive wildfire that scorched the Athens suburbs, killing a woman, causing widespread damage and sending thousands of people fleeing from their homes.

A fire department spokesperson told AFP that "pockets of flame" were being dealt with but there were no longer "areas of particular concern".

Hundreds of firefighters, backed by around 200 fire engines and 20 water-bombing aircraft battled the blaze that started Sunday in Varnavas, some 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Athens.

The body of a Moldovan woman was found in a burned-out factory and at least 66 people have been treated for injuries, authorities said. Five firefighters have been hurt.

Fuelled by strong winds, the wildfire raced across parched landscape northeast of the capital, destroying dozens of houses, cars and businesses in the over 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) of land it has devastated.

After a Greek appeal for international assistance, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia and Türkiye were sending hundreds of firefighters along with helicopters, fire engines and water tankers, authorities said.

  'Everything was burned' 

The fire scaled Mount Pentelikon overlooking Athens and badly hit the suburbs of Nea Penteli, Palaia Penteli, Patima Halandriou and Vrilissia.

Sports halls including the Athens Olympic Stadium were set aside to shelter the homeless. One former Olympic hall was earmarked for more than 150 rescued pets.

"We saw huge flames, and at the same time (explosions) began. We thought we were at war," Nikos Karoulias, a 71-year-old former defender for Greece's national football team, told AFP in Penteli.

The body of a Moldovan...