Investigators are focusing on a possible electrical fault as the cause of a house fire that killed a family of five in Limassol.
The victims were identified as Bassem Adeeb Gamil Takla, 35, from Egypt, his Cypriot wife Maria Georgiou, 33, and their three children aged 2, 3 and 7.
Fire service officials said they had identified the point of origin of the blaze, with preliminary findings suggesting an electrical malfunction may have triggered the incident. The rapid spread of the fire was attributed to oxygen entering through a broken living room window.
“The fire spread was instantaneous once the window shattered, making it impossible for relatives or police first responders to enter the premises,” a fire service spokesperson said.
The family was found unconscious in two bedrooms. Post-mortem examinations revealed all five victims died from smoke inhalation and burns, according to state pathologist Orthodoxos Orthodoxou.
The investigation is also examining modifications made to the building’s second floor, where partition walls made of plasterboard may have contributed to the family becoming trapped.
The Cyprus Electrical Contractors Association (SEKA) president George Kyriacou called it “a day of shame” for the industry, citing the widespread presence of substandard electrical equipment in the market.
“Three deaths in 2024, five in 2025, hundreds of fires and countless properties at risk. How many more lives must be lost before we all take responsibility?” Kyriacou said in a statement.
Multiple agencies, including the electromechanical services department and criminal investigation department, are preparing reports on the incident.
Evidence collected from the scene has been sent to forensic laboratories for analysis.
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Family of five dies in Limassol apartment fire
