Fire fighters hit mine in the buffer zone

FIVE FIREFIGHTERS and three vehicles were stuck in the buffer zone yesterday after one of the fire engines rolled over a mine which exploded.

According to Fire Service spokesman Leonidas Leonidou, the vehicles were fighting a fire in the buffer zone outside the village of Denia when the largest fire engine drove over a mine, causing damage to the vehicle.

“Fortunately, there were no injuries,” said Leonidou as it was the back end of the truck which set off the mine.

Two men were in the vehicle that was hit, while two more were in another fire engine and one officer was in a jeep nearby when the explosion occurred.

“Immediately, instructions were given to all members in the area to keep the vehicles immobilised until UN experts could come because it appears they ended up in a minefield which wasn’t clearly sign-posted,” he said.

The Fire Service was notified of the incident at around 4.20pm.

UN spokesman Rolando Gomez told the Cyprus Mail yesterday evening that an UNFICYP patrol was on the scene as were UN deminers “who know this particular minefield and are close to the vehicles and individuals who remain in their vehicles.

“They’re inching closer to where the trucks are. The feeling is they’ll be able to extract all individuals safely from the scene (last night). They’re all reported to be in good health. The vehicles will be handled (today),” he said.

The fire, which was safely brought under control by firefighting forces from both sides of the divide, was deep in the buffer zone, on the cusp of the ceasefire line near the Turkish occupied areas.