Greece Wildfires Investigation: Greeks searching for answers after at least 84 die

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Europe

02:58

Greek officials say there are "serious indications" that arson was at the root of fires, which swept through parts of Greece. At least 84 died - and the death toll is expected to rise. Greece is trying to come to grips with this tragedy - as tempers flare over what some characterize as the government's failed response. CGTN's Filio Kontrafouri reports.

Three days of national mourning declared by the government are coming to an end.

But Greeks are only beginning to look for answers. What could have gone so horribly wrong and led to so many deaths in the seaside community of Mati?

VASILIS SAROPOULOS MATI RESIDENT "The firefighters were fighting in another fire, civil protection was sending people to a nearby area that was also burning and they were trapped there. There was no coordination. There was nothing."

Residents say there was no warning from authorities. Many people were saved because this man says, they felt something was wrong. They told each other they had to evacuate. Knowing which way to go proved life-saving.

MATI RESIDENT "People who didn't know the area, because it is a bit irregular, not all roads are parallel and lead somewhere, many times they are dead-end streets, this resulted to people getting trapped."

Monday's fire started on a nearby mountain. Greek investigators now say there are "serious indications of criminal activity" involving arson based on satellite images and investigators on the ground.

For many, the only escape route was the beach and swimming out to sea.

FILIO KONTRAFOURI MATI, GREECE "Access to the sea in this town is blocked by houses that are built on the coast and almost all across the shoreline. On Monday, when hundreds of people started running towards the water to escape the fire, it was small pathways like this that helped save lives."

Rescue crews continue to look for those who didn't make it. Dozens are still missing.

GIORGOS KAYIALIS GREEK FIRE SERVICE "This is the second check and in many cases we check for a third time to have better results. It's always better to have a second, fresh look."

So far, authorities have declared almost half of all the houses they checked as uninhabitable.

Many have come back to salvage what they can, including this man, who was hoping to find possessions that once belonged to his parents.

ANASTASIS KOURANTZIS MATI HOME OWNER "My parents' belongings, their books, their stereo, their porcelains, everything was destroyed. Everything burned."

Memories here are all that survived the flames. Filio Kontrafouri, CGTN, Mati, Greece.