A section of the Nicosia-Limassol highway as well as the old Nicosia-Limassol road which were closed to traffic because of a fire in the Kakoratzia area have reopened.
The fire was partly contained a little before 3 pm..
The head of the Forestry Department Charalambos Alexandroun told CNA the fire had started from sparks following an accident on the highway.
He said the fire had started on the left hand side of the highway but because of the strong winds had jumped across to the other side.
“The fire was difficult because we had to deal with two fronts, and the one on the right was moving towards the forest and the wind was against us,” he said.
A total of 16 fire trucks from the Forestry Department, an airplane of the Forestry Department and two helicopters — one from police and one from the National Guard, responded to the fire.
They were assisted by six fire Fire Service fire trucks with 20 fire fighters, four EMAk vehicles and a fire truck each from Pera Chorio Nisou and Larnaca fire stations.
The fire broke out a little after 11 am, close to the Kornos exit. Police first closed a section of the highway and diverted traffic on to the old road.
At around 2.40 pm, police announced that old road was also closed and told the public to head to the Rizoelia roundabout in Larnaca. It was reopened a little after 3.15 pm.
The Forestry Department has posted photos taken from the air of the fire.
Κλειστός ο αυτοκινητόδρομος & ο παλαιός δρόμος Λευκωσίας-Λεμεσού, λόγω πυρκαγιάς στην περιοχή Κακορατζιάς
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Για τις μετακινήσεις του προς Λευκωσία και Λεμεσό, το κοινό καλείται να κατευθύνεται προς τον κόμβο Ριζοελιάς, στην Λάρνακα#Cyprus #cypolice pic.twitter.com/PTf8wnoMfy— Αστυνομία Κύπρου (@Cyprus_Police) May 17, 2020
Main photo CyPolicecheckpoints
