35 People Killed And 50 Injured In Greek Wildfire

Officials said at least 35 people have died, many of them burning to death as they tried to escape the wildfires

overnight. 

The small community of Mati was the worst hit, a popular tourist destination 18 miles east of the capital.

A wildfire killed at least 50 people and injured scores more as it swept through a small resort town near Athens, trapping families with children behind walls of smoke and flames as they tried to flee to the beach.

The fire in Mati was by far Greece’s worst since flames devastated the southern Peloponnese peninsula in August 2007, killing dozens. 

It broke out late Monday afternoon and was still burning in some areas on Tuesday morning.

People scrambled to the sea as the blaze closed in near the shore. 

Hundreds were rescued by passing boats but the fire moved too fast for others.