The two people arrested in connection with the wildfire that broke out in Boeotia and later spread into Attica are due to appear before the competent prosecutor’s office in Thebes at midday today.

According to the Fire Service, a case file has been opened against them for arson committed with possible intent, at felony level.

Specifically, specialist officers from the Arson Crime Investigation Directorate who travelled to the points of origin and took charge of investigating the causes and circumstances of the fire’s outbreak carried out extensive on-site examinations, took witness statements, gathered crucial evidence and made use of footage recording the first few minutes after the fire broke out.

According to the Fire Service, the combined assessment of the evidence found that oscillation occurred in the conductors of the private network transmitting electricity generated by wind turbines to the main power grid, causing sparks.

The sparks fell to the ground, starting the fire, which grew to a large scale and spread from Boeotia into Attica. The investigation focused on those responsible for the design, construction, supervision and proper operation of that private network.

Under flagrante delicto procedure, two Greek nationals were arrested. One, an electrical engineer, had signed off on the design and supervision of the project, while the second, a contractor, had been responsible for building the power transmission network.

It is noted that a specialist on-site examination was carried out at ground zero – the point identified as where the fire started – with the assistance of a court-appointed expert electrical engineer.

It is also noted that, according to the Fire Service, the case file names the owner of the wind turbine company as well; he was sought as part of the flagrante delicto procedure but has not been located.