Vacation my ass!

Firefighter from Upper Austria helped with fire on Crete

Christian Stoxreiter (49) from Tiefgraben on assignment in Crete(Bild: FF Mondsee/Stoxreiter)

Once a firefighter, always a firefighter. A firefighter from the Salzkammergut proved this when he was on vacation in Crete. Because when there was a fire and a need arose, he immediately helped his Greek comrades to bring the flames under control at the hotel.

Christian Stoxreiter (49) from Tiefgraben actually wanted to spend a few relaxing days on Crete with his wife Maria. But after three days, his vocation as a firefighter caught up with him. "On Wednesday, thick smoke billowed up and ash rained down over our hotel complex in Agios Nikolaos," says the firefighter.

Because it is so dry in Crete, extinguishing fires here is really a matter of time(Bild: FF Mondsee/Stoxreiter)

"Couldn't helpit"
And because he couldn't help himself, he immediately rushed to the aid of his Greek colleagues and was given a breathing mask. After 90 minutes, the fire was extinguished. "Even the city commander thanked me," says Christian Stoxreiter happily.

45 forest fires reported in Greece
More than 45 forest fires were reported in Greece last Friday. At least one person lost their life. A 55-year-old man from Myrtia on the Peloponnese peninsula was taken unconscious to the hospital in Pyrgos on Friday, where he died shortly afterwards.

Forest fire on Hydra after fireworks
Despite constant warnings of extreme fire danger, crew members of a yacht off the coast of the popular Greek vacation island of Hydra set off fireworks at the weekend to amuse the passengers. The sparks set fire to the island's only pine forest and 13 people were arrested.