ATHENS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the wildfire which hit a coastal resort near Athens Monday increased to 88 on Saturday, as the government assumed political responsibility for one of Greece's deadliest tragedies in decades.
Earlier Saturday, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said during a cabinet meeting that his government was experiencing its most difficult moment since coming into office.
"I want to undertake, in front of the cabinet and in front of the Greek people, the political responsibility for the tragedy," he was quoted as saying by the Greek national news agency AMNA.
Main conservative opposition party New Democracy and other parties said that a statement which was not followed by resignations or sackings meant nothing.
On Saturday morning, Dimitra Lambarou, deputy mayor of Marathon municipality, which includes Mati settlement, where most victims died, announced her resignation on local TV.
Cabinet ministers, regional governors, local mayors and fire brigade and police chiefs claimed that there had been no major operational mistakes in the handling of the crisis.
According to local media, sirens never went off and messages were not sent to local residents during the crisis, although such a civil protection plan has been in place since 2014.
In the aftermath of the disaster, the government promised to review and update the Civil Protection Service and address the unauthorized construction which had blocked the escape routes and access to the sea.
"All building permits in Mati will be checked. We will tear down buildings," Infrastructure and Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis said.
