Three arrests over Plaka explosion with six dead – copper piping theft
Two Greeks and one Albanian were arrested 34 days after the explosion in Plaka that cost six people their lives.
Arrests over Plaka explosion: three charged in gas leak that killed six
Three men were arrested in connection with the fatal explosion on 25 September in a neoclassical building in Plaka, which cost six people their lives, including an elderly couple. According to Dikastiko.gr, the arrested men are suspected of having caused a natural gas leak whilst attempting to remove copper pipes from the building.
They are two Greeks, aged 37 and 55, and a 34-year-old Albanian national. Arrest warrants were issued against all three by the competent judicial authorities. They are now required to provide explanations regarding their involvement in the case.
34 days of investigation
The Arson Crimes Prevention Unit, headed by deputy fire chief Dimitris Dimakogiannis, worked for 34 days to clarify the case, in cooperation with judicial experts. Investigators examined the debris and reconstructed sections of the gas meter and pipes in order to locate the source of the leak.
Laboratory examination of the findings at the Polytechnic University is said to have been decisive. Professor Petros Tsakiridis concluded that the leak originated from the internal installation, next to the gas meter. Judicial expert Tasos Dedes is reported to have reached the same conclusion.
Video footage of suspects' movements
According to information reported by ANT1, video footage is said to record the movements of the three suspects a few hours before the explosion. This audiovisual material is one of the key pieces of evidence being examined as part of the investigation to reconstruct events.
In the video presented by ANT1, a black van is also recorded moving on Lysikratous Street at the moment of the explosion. The vehicle was carrying 12 pupils from a private school, who were found at a very short distance from the site. According to what the school bus driver stated, the children miraculously escaped.
Source: Dikastiko.gr