Fire above the Orthodox cemetery in Tetovo — helicopter deployed
The fire started in an old barn around 11:30 and spread toward the summit of Baltepe; a helicopter began firefighting at 13:20.
A fire above the Orthodox cemetery in Tetovo on the Baltepe hill broke out at around 11:30, Tetovo services reported. The fire, according to initial information, started in an old building — a barn — and spread upward toward the top of the hill.
After the fire was reported, Tetovo firefighters carried out a ground intervention and laid hoses uphill because there is no access road by which fire vehicles could climb. The services requested evacuation of residents of the nearest houses as a preventive measure.
Intervention also from the air
"After the report, we came here to the Orthodox cemetery and ran hoses up the slope because there is no road by which fire vehicles can go up. We requested the evacuation of people from nearby houses. We extinguished the fire at the barn and by doing so prevented the nearby houses from being endangered, but it continued to spread into the forest and toward Kaleto," said Avni Ameti, commander in the Tetovo fire department.
At 13:20 a helicopter also intervened on site to further assist the aerial firefighting operation. Some of the firefighters were positioned on the road to the top of Baltepe hill to intervene over the hotspot.
It is stated that the fire was extinguished at the barn, thereby preventing immediate threats to the nearest houses, but the fire continued to spread into the surrounding forest and toward the Kaleto area. Teams remain on site while efforts to fully localize it continue.
Reporter: Aleksandar Samardzhiev.
Photo: press material from the event
