Λάρισα: φωτιά σε ποιμνιοστάσιο στο Λουτρό

A fire that broke out on the night of Monday, August 17, 2026, in a sheepfold in the Loutro area of ​​Larissa resulted in the death of approximately seventy lambs that were inside the facility. Fourteen firefighters, with five water tankers and two fire trucks, attempted the scene. The fire was brought under control just before 02:00 on Tuesday morning. Despite the immediate mobilization, the forces were unable to prevent the loss of livestock, as the stables are usually made of fast-burning materials and their interior fills with smoke within minutes. Water tankers were called to cover distances to supply water, as there is no adequate network of fire hydrants in the area.

The causes of the fire remain unknown. A team of the Investigative Department of the Larissa Fire Service went to the scene and is investigating the circumstances. In similar incidents, the most common causes recorded are short circuits in old electrical installations, overheating of equipment and ignition of stored straw or animal feed, materials with particularly high flammability when in compressed form. The conclusion will come after examining the site and taking depositions. The distinction between an accidental and an incendiary cause has direct consequences both for the criminal aspect and for the unit’s insurance coverage.

For a livestock unit, the loss of seventy animals is a blow that cannot be recovered in one production season. The lambs are the future productive capital of the farm and their replacement requires either buying animals at a significant cost or waiting at least two years until new births mature. Thessalian livestock farming has already been under pressure in recent years, with the consequences of the 2023 floods not fully addressed and recent outbreaks of zoonotic diseases having led to restrictive measures on the movement of animals and products. In Thessaly, sheep and goat farming is a key pillar of the local economy, supplying the production units for feta cheese and other cheese products.

Whether and to what extent there will be compensation depends on the existence of an insurance policy and the findings of the investigation into the cause. ELGA covers specific categories of damage to livestock, while fires in building facilities are usually covered by private insurance, which a small percentage of farms have. No human injuries were reported. The information is attributed by Neo Agona to thessaliatv.gr, which first recorded the incident. More in the Fire section. No initiative to support this farm has been announced by the municipality or the region.