Kineta fire findings a year later points to PPC responsibility

Reportedly, the expert's report commisioned by the prosecutor's office to investigate the causes of the devastating fire leaves no room for other interpretations. Fire dept. colonel Dimitris Liotsios, who also wrote the finding for the Mati fire, has included in a report he submitted to court officials photographic evidence that two conductors appear to have lost contact with the mid-range column. Heavy winds subsequently brought the cables into contact, sparks were created and ignited dry grass on a ravine in the area called Aeras.

The fact that PPC and HEDNO responded to the expert that the electricity in the area fell at 4pm, while OTE Tower on the same line declared a cutoff at 11:54 am, which is "in line" with the official announcement, of the fire at 12:03 p.m., according to a Fire Department report poses a disconccerting fact. Because since the fire started and the power supply was cut off, apparently it took a few minutes for the smoke to be detected and emergency number 199 informed.

As was the case with the Eye, but fortunately without loss of life, this fire extinguished itself in the sea. The fire also overflowed the new Athens-Corinth Highway, as firefighters failed to use it as a firefighting zone, just as it did in the case of Marathon Avenue a few hours later. The expert's report also reveals that there were injuries.

As a matter of fact, correspondence with ambulance service EKAB showed that 14 people were injured, 13 were civilians and a firefighter. This was not confirmed by the Fire Brigade! In any case, in the case of Kineta, the worst was avoided because the decision to evacuate was taken immediately. Specific elements of the report show that the fire chief, Lieutenant General Achilles Tzouvaras, ordered the evacuation of civilians. Coordination with police forces was also better, as the removal of civilians was done without any casualties.

However, the report raises new questions about the way in which then-Secretary-General of Civil Protection Ioannis Kapakis acted, as documents presenting a request to declare Attica in a state of emergency on July 23, were actually faxed "11:58 pm ... July 24"! The report further notes that there was no aerial surveillance on the day of the fire, as provided for in cases where the risk index is at "4". There were only some training flights, which did not spot the fires.

It is also clear from the documents of the Ministry of Defense that resources were available but no one called for their mobilization. It is obvious that although in both cases the flames were immediately detected the rest might have been different. Especially in the case of Penteli where for a while the "199" operators were responding to the citizens calling for help as the smoke they were seeing was from Kineta! Neither did the drones that were supposed to be in service since May 4, 2017 flew. In conclusion, it was noted that no remnants were found and that no second outbreak was detected, except for the above mentioned PPC pole. Probably the Hellenic Space Agency would have to look back on its ... sources, except it was just executing orders from above.