The trial for the deadly fire in Mati in July 2018, which is now in the apology stage.

The former fire chief appeared before the judges again, Sotiris Terzoudis, who started first out of a total of 21 defendants, to apologize last November. There were still people in court today mourning their loved ones who perished in the fire, as well as many of those who survived with wounds and burns that are still bothering them now.

Mr. Terzoudis repeated in court that the day of the fire in Mati was the most difficult day for the Fire Department, as it had to manage a situation with constantly changing boundary conditions.

The defendant stated that “this incident was sweeping. H Fire Department service had not known another such incident with such tragic consequences”. In fact, closing his statement, the accused said about the victims:

“I don’t want to say anything about the relatives of the victims. Whatever you say, you don’t ease their pain. I prefer silence.”

As he has already stated since the first day of his apology, Mr. Terzoudis said that from his side everything was done as planned and he does not consider himself to be responsible for what happened. Referring to the issue of evacuating the area, the then chief of the Fire Department emphasized that such a thing was impossible in the case of this particular fire “The events unfolded so quickly, that there was no time at all for the evacuation. The time and the development of the incident… they didn’t allow evacuation. There is a lot of discussion about this internationally. If there is no time, what happens?”.

He also added that: “After a tragedy like this, change is needed. The 2007 there was another unspeakable tragedy in Ilia. Then the State came and added the action of the organized removal of citizens. Until then it didn’t exist. It had to be Ilia. In 2018 it becomes the Eye. Another unspeakable tragedy. And the State comes and legislates what it did not do in 2007. It adopted the action initially, but it did not adopt how the organized removal will be done. And he then obliged the municipalities and the Regions to draw up plans for organized preventive removal. And he gave an 18-month extension. And we are in 2024. The general secretariat comes and in April 2023 sends a circular with guidelines for the organized preventive removal with the assistance of the fire brigade, police, EKAV and the Coast Guard where available. You will see that there are also places of refuge for the implementation of the action. I asked if those plans have been filed but was told “not yet”. When there is no plan applicable, there is improvisation. And sometimes it will lead to the opposite of the intended results.”

Regarding the aerial means, the defendant pointed out that the canards were not able to operate, as the airport was closed. Underscoring the “aging fleet” during the disputed period, Mr. Terzoudis said that “things are not simple in the management of air traffic”.

Mr. Terzoudis was adamant that whatever ground means were available: “I know they were used up, and this was told to me repeatedly. That’s why I can’t understand the expert and the technical advisor who say they weren’t used.”

Finally, Mr. Terzoudis said with regard to the non-availability of firefighting boats attributed to the fire department, that the boats have territorial jurisdiction and that all three are not staffed. He even wondered: “Where should it go? (the boat) He has not clarified this yet.” He further said that at 19.45 he had phoned the then head of the Coast Guard to see if assistance was needed and he had replied in the negative as not even their own vehicles could approach – and that they were looking for boats as not even the larger boats could get through.

Prosecutor; With the time that has passed, have you identified business mistakes?

Accused : Valuation requires knowing exactly what happened in the field. I cannot say that there are no business mistakes. Air assets were mobilized. This fire under the existing conditions could not be dealt with. If only the data existed so that people could leave. And I am tormented and tormented again by all this. It has marked me. My life has changed…

Prosecutor: You said that “Toskas and Fostieris (head of ESKE) sidestepped me and Toskas gave operational orders to Fostieris without my approval”.

Accused: Hypothesis is this…

Prosecutor: I am reading you the entire excerpt of your answer. Is this a case?

Accused: I was concerned with these orders… They were correct…

Prosecutor: Is the minister expected to give orders?

Accused: In the sense of giving operational orders no. But he could ask all the time… He was a supreme retiree…

Prosecutor: Did you ever hear about the dead?

Accused: On 19.54.19 the first death was announced.

Prosecutor: At the press conference you gave that night, did you know about dead people?

Accused: Yes we knew about some dead people.

The trial will continue tomorrow, when the then deputy chief of the Fire Department, Vassilis Matthaiopoulos, is expected to begin his testimony.