Schocking Picture
Three bank workers lost their life and four were injured in the fire at the MARFIN EGNATIA Bank after protesters hurled molotov cocktail bombs amid a huge demonstation against harsh cuts in salaries and pensions and tax increases.
Pictures and Videos shot by demonstrators highlight the dramatic moments the bank workers experienced trying to flee the fire. Shocking pictures and terrifying details see the light of day.
According to eye witnesses the security officers of the bank had locked the doors, fearing the entrance of demonstrators. Once in fire, they started shouting at passers-by to save them and passers-by threw stones at the windows.
At least 3 people jumped from the 2nd floor of the building trying to escape the fire and the toxic smoke burning their lungs.
According to semi-official reports a man, 36, was trapped in the strairswell, one woman 32, was found near her desk and another woman was found at a balcony door. Apparently all three died of suffocation. One of the women was pregnant in the fourth month.
Chairman of Marfin Bank, Andreas Vgenopoulos, was confronted with insults, ironic slogans and water bottles when he visited the bank an hour after the blaze.
There are questionmarks about why the bank was open although it was known that the demonstrators will pass by.
Were there – if at all- enough security measures in case of fire and was the personell trained to use them? From what we hear and see, all the bank workers were formally ‘trapped’ in the building.
ANT-1 TV reports that some masks wearing demonstrators broke with crowbars the glass windows of the bank and threw inside at least 4 molotov cocktails. “A targeted criminal act” as it seems.
As I am still not able to upload videos ( still wordpress-newby), here are some LINKS TO VIDEOS by eye witnesses
RESCUE EFFORTS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSbfd3KH9VU&feature=player_embedded
BURNING MARFIN BANK BUILDING
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3oJOxjENFI&feature=player_embedded
PHOTOS:
