Three arrested for fire in Zephyri that killed two firefighters
A 34-year-old woman and her two underage daughters were arrested over the fire in an abandoned building in Zephyri. Two firefighters lost their lives.
Arrests over deadly fire in Zephyri – Two firefighters dead
Three people were arrested on the evening of Saturday (14/11) in connection with the fire that broke out at midday the same day in an abandoned building in Zephyri, Attica, claiming the lives of two firefighters. According to cnn.gr, police announced that the three individuals had initially been brought in for questioning before being placed under arrest.
They are a 34-year-old woman and her two underage daughters, aged 13 and 16. The woman's 44-year-old husband is being sought in the context of the investigation.
What the inspection revealed
The Hellenic Police announced that the Investigative Unit for Combating Arson Crimes (ΑΚΑΕΕ) of Athens, in cooperation with the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes (ΔΑΕΕ), immediately undertook the investigation into the causes. During the inspection, waste, plastic and other materials were found at the location where the fire broke out.
From the preliminary investigative material gathered so far, it emerges that the 34-year-old, her husband and their two underage daughters allegedly deposited combustion residue from wood-burning stoves they used in the ground-floor space where they lived on the building's stairwell. According to the authorities, the evidence causally connects this depositing with the outbreak of the fire.
According to information presented by ERT on the main news bulletin, officers from the ΔΑΕΕ are examining two most probable scenarios for the causes. From photographs and documents of the scene, it appears that the staircase shows no collapse damage beyond the blackened areas, and during the inspection no signs of wall collapse or floor subsidence were found. The preliminary investigation is ongoing.
The two dead and the injured
Two firefighters, aged 23 and 44, lost their lives in the fire. A third colleague, aged 43, managed to exit the burning building and was transported to the 251 General Hospital of the Air Force, where he is hospitalised out of danger. The injured man is in a state of shock and has suffered nervous shock.
The atmosphere in the Fire Service is heavy, with the tragedy having deeply affected both the families of the victims and the entire service.
Condolences from the Prime Minister
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his condolences via a post. "Our thoughts are with their families, to whom I express my most sincere condolences. The same goes for the wider family of the Fire Service, which today mourns two of its own," wrote Mitsotakis. He also added that "the tragic event serves to remind us of the magnitude of the contribution of the men and women of the Fire Service, who selflessly put their lives at risk every day for the protection of all of us". In the same post, the Prime Minister wished the injured firefighter a speedy recovery.
Source: Dikastiko.gr