Official hit with felony charges over deadly blaze
A deputy mayor has been charged with a felony for his alleged role in a devastating wildfire in Xylokastro in southern Greece on September 29 that claimed two lives and scorched 7,100 hectares of forest.
The Corinth prosecutor reviewed evidence from the Arson Crime Unit and determined sufficient grounds to pursue charges for arson resulting in death, which carries a prison sentence of 10 to 20 years.
The deputy mayor is accused of igniting the fire while smoking his beehives, despite existing fire risk warnings.
Initially, he concealed his presence at the scene, but a witness later testified that he was seen tending to the beehives just 200 to 250 meters from where the fire started. He is scheduled to appear before fire department officials in the coming days to provide his account of the events.
