Dimitris Philippis, the last remaining victim of the deadly fire in the Greek resort of Mati, was discharged from the intensive care unit of Evangelismos hospital in central Athens on Tuesday.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Philippis said that he was the only survivor from several fire victims who had been hospitalized in Evangelismos. He survived 78 days in the intensive care unit of the Greek hospital.
Ninety-nine people have been confirmed dead by the blaze that incinerated Mati on July 23. The fires were the second-deadliest in the 21st century, after the 2009 “Black Saturday” bushfires in Australia that killed 180.
Philippis said that on the tragic day he stayed behind to help other survive the fire, but unable to breathe, he ended up in the sea where he was picked up by rescue crews.
“I am the only one who survived in the intensive care unit of Evangelismos,” he says adding that the nightmare he went through “cannot be forgotten as much as you try.”
He also blamed authorities for the disaster, saying they were too slow to respond to the emergency and failed to alert residents of the approaching flames.
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