Dozens could stand trial for Mati fires
A prosecutor investigating the causes of the deadly wildfire in eastern Attica in July, 2018 yesterday proposed that a total of 27 people should stand trial for criminal negligence and omissions of state mechanisms and local authorities that led to the deaths of more than 100 people and widespread destruction.
Among those included are the former Attica governor Rena Dourou, the then-mayor of Marathonas Ilias Psinakis, and senior-ranking executives of the Fire Service and Civil Protection.
Also referred to trial are the former head of Civil Protection Ioannis Kapakis, the current head of the Fire Service Stefanos Kolokouris, officials of Civil Protection, the Hellenic Police (ELAS) and the Fire Service, and the 70-year-old who was responsible for the fire that started in Daou Pentelis before it spread to the suburbs, including Mati which was hardest hit. They face charges of arson and homicide by serial negligence which also caused bodily injuries.
The prosecutor’s report bemoaned the lack of coordination, planning and the ineffective cooperation of the competent state authorities. It also referred to government incompetence and state disorganization and decried criminal mistakes. More specifically the prosecutor’s proposal stressed among a long list of shortcomings that there was no necessary preventive aerial surveillance and insufficient mobilization of those responsible for extinguishing the fire.
Furthermore it noted that not all available ground and air forces were immediately dispatched while there was no proper operational management of the aircraft.
What’s more, it lamented the misdiagnosis of the size of the risk and a delay in diagnosing the criticality of the situation.
It also noted erroneous operational priorities in dealing with multiple fires that occurred in a short time and the unpreparedness of the state mechanism.
The proposal will be examined by the judicial council, and if it agrees, as is expected, the way will be paved for the trial more than three years after the catastrophic fire wreaked havoc.