Hundreds gathered at Saint Nicholas Church in Limassol today to farewell a family of five who died in an apartment fire last Saturday.
The victims included Maria Georgiou, 33, seven-year-old Angelina, three-year-old Melina, and two-year-old Michael-Angelos. The body of the Egyptian father, Bassem Adeeb Gamil Takla, 35, will be transported to his home country for burial.
Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis led government representatives at the service, which drew officials including the Mayor of Limassol and several members of parliament.
School principal Mary Drousioti, in her eulogy, described Angelina as a gifted student who dreamed of becoming a cardiac surgeon. “She would say, ‘No, Mrs Mary, I want to be a heart surgeon to heal people, to stop their pain,'” Drousioti recalled.
The children’s uncle, Savvas Georgiou, speaking on behalf of the family, remembered his sister Maria as “the heart of the family” who “lived and breathed for her children”.
Limassol Municipality has covered all funeral expenses and is providing support to the bereaved family. Local carnival celebrations were postponed as a mark of respect.
The fire broke out in the family’s home in the early hours of Saturday, February 15. Authorities believe the fire started due to a fault in an electrical device.
The tragedy has brought attention to the housing crisis in Limassol, which has been exacerbated by the city’s development model focusing on high-rises catered to wealthy, mainly foreign investors and professionals. This, as a result, has skyrocketed rent prices in Cyprus’s second-largest city, driving many families, such as the one who died in last Saturday’s fire, to seek cheaper and potentially unsafe alternatives. The five-member family was reportedly living in a one-bedroom apartment divided in two with flammable plasterboard.
Following the deaths in the working-class neighbourhood, the Limassol Municipality issued an announcement promising housing reform. “This tragic incident brings to light issues related to living conditions, building safety, and the broader housing crisis facing Limassol,” the municipality said. “The discussion on housing policy cannot wait any longer, as it’s a matter of dignity, safety, quality of life, and social justice,” it added.
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