Filenews 21 July 2021 - by Ioanna Mantziepa
Light on the causes of the deadly fire that broke out on Saturday, July 3rd from the village of Arakapas and resulted in the spread to eight communities, burning vast tracts of land, houses, businesses and the death of four people in the village of Odos in Larnaca province, the Fire Department report says.
As "F" informs, the report of the Fire Department's experts essentially burns the 67-year-old defendant. The examinations alleged the man in question initially cleaned his field and then burned dry grass. In fact, at the spot where the scorching was detected in his field, the tests found that this was very recent, breaking down his claims of scorching five months ago.
The experts' findings also cleared the "zero" point of the deadly fire. According to "F" information, the fire started from a reed bed that abuts the 67-year-old's land and riverbed. Investigations alleged the 67-year-old set fire to the reed that had not been burned by the fire that broke out a week ago, on June 26, estimating that it would reach the point where it was burned and extinguished. However, he did not calculate that the air he was taking that day would result in the fire spreading rapidly to the opposite side and moving west towards the community of Arakapas.
The above can also be seen from aerial photographs taken from the first aerial medium called to the site to extinguish the fire. Also, another important presumption is the video document that the investigators of the Limassol T.E.O. have in their hands. A witness recorded with his mobile phone video of the fire's outbreak in its early stages, which had occurred just in front of the 67-year-old's field, just metres from his border, where reeds and wild vegetation were found.
Yesterday the 67-year-old was referred to a direct trial before the Permanent Criminal Court, which will meet on 6 September, with him being asked to respond to the two offences he faces. This is the offence of setting fires on plantations and lighting a fire in the countryside under the Rural Fire Prevention Act.
The court decided that the 67-year-old should be released on conditional release, sign a €50,000 bail with a guarantor, hand over his travel documents, be placed on the stop list and present himself three times a week at the Germasogeia Police Station. The 67-year-old gave four statements and insists on denying any involvement.
With regard to the interrogations and examinations of the Larnaca TD in relation to the deaths of the four workers, these have not yet been completed. At the completion of the investigations the file will be forwarded to the Legal Service for instructions.
