Memorial held for four Egyptians who perished in 2021 fire

A memorial service was held on Sunday for the four Egyptians who died in Odou village during the 2021 Arakapas fire.

It marks three years since Morzok Shady Morzok, Hisa Melad Farouk, Ezat Salama Josef and Maged Nabil Yonan, aged 35, 29, 28 and 24 died trying to escape the flames of the fire described as the worst in the Republic’s history.

All four were seasonal workers at a local tomato plantation and their death sparked outrage over their living conditions and how they were left unawares of the escape.

Once they realised they were in danger of the rapidly spreading flames, they drove away from the farm where they worked and lived, trying to head in the opposite direction of the fire.

A compatriot of the four workers had spoken to one of them before the tragedy and was told that their vehicle had fallen into a ravine while they were trying to get away, forcing them to flee on foot.

Their charred bodies were found later around 400 metres from where the vehicle was found in Odou.

Sunday’s memorial was carried out by the Coptic Orthodox Church in Cyprus, in the presence of members from the Egyptian community, the ambassador of Egypt to Cyprus Amr Hamza and local authority figures.

The Arakapas fire burned a total of 55 square kilometres and cost over €15 million in damages.

Last year, a 69-year-old man was sentenced to eight years in jail after he was found guilty of starting the blaze in the countryside by burning scrub.

The families of the victims were compensated by the labour ministry with €95,000 each, plus an additional €35,000 for each of the victims’ children.

The children of the deceased were granted scholarships to universities in Cyprus.

A memorial plaque was unveiled in their memory in 2022.