An investigating magistrate on Friday ordered the pretrial detention of the mayor of Stylida, a contractor and the owner of a company involved in a wind farm project in Viotia as part of an investigation into a wildfire that spread into western Attica.
The three appeared before judicial authorities in Thiva and face charges linked to the July 31 blaze, which investigators believe originated in the wind farm’s private power distribution network.
According to the Fire Service’s arson crimes unit, the fire was caused by sparks from an electrical arc on medium-voltage power lines connected to the wind farm. Investigators said they found deficiencies and construction flaws in the network that likely allowed the conductors to generate sparks, igniting dry vegetation amid strong winds.
The investigation found no evidence of arson, discarded smoking materials, hot work or other potential ignition sources. A previous fire on the same power line on June 27, also attributed to an electrical fault, had already highlighted problems with the network, according to the investigative report.
Investigators said strong winds likely caused energized conductors to swing into contact or close enough together to create an electrical arc, sending sparks into nearby vegetation. They also found inadequate clearance of dry grass around utility poles and said defects identified after the earlier fire had not been fully corrected.
