A fire close to an abandoned shoe factory in the buffer zone of Kokkinotrimithia, Nicosia, that started at noon on Friday, has been placed under control.

In a post on X, fire brigade spokesman Andreas Kettis said four fire engines, two more from Atlas and Support Cy volunteer groups and a UN tanker had operated in the area to extinguish the fire, supported by a firefighting plane.

Kettis said the fire burned approximately five hectares of wild vegetation, waste and wooden pallets.

The firefighting forces also preventively cooled two large old gas cylinders in the area.