By Elena Galari

The curtain has opened on the apologies of the 21 defendants who are being tried in the second degree for the deadly fire in Mati in July 2018.

He was the first to apologize the resident of Penteli from the yard of the house from which, according to the indictment, the fire started its tragic course.

“I look you in the eyes and I want you to release me. I’ve been crawling for 7 years and haven’t done anything” said to the judges the accused who denied that that day he was burning dry branches in the yard of his house, in Dau Pentelis.

“That day I did not set fire and I do not set fire because what interests me is the protection of the environment. I was charged with cases. I have lived in this location for many years and nothing related to fire has ever been started by me, because I know the danger of the area and protect it».

The accused referring to that day told the magistrates that he saw smoke beyond his own plot and immediately got the hose to wet the spot.

“A Rafina fire department came and looked. They told me to put the hose in the tank because they had no water and they started going out. At that time the other volunteers also pitched and I also gave branches. I said a secret prayer that the fire would not pass across the street which was the only green. It didn’t pass and went down“, said the accused.

Prosecutor: When did you cut branches?

Accused: I don’t remember.

Prosecutor: At the time you saw the fire, was the fire coming or going in?

Accused: He was coming… At that time it was on fire. The back was all black so it was coming.

Former mayor of Penteli: Dimitris Stergiou Kapsalis

The former mayor of Penteli, Dimitris Stergiou Kapsalis, who has been acquitted by the court of first instance, denied the accusations.

“I have no responsibility, I did everything prescribed without loss and had no jurisdiction to intervene. (…). This fire moved strangely, it didn’t show where it wanted to go. There is no negligence in my omission. I did not imagine that after giving so much to the homeland, I would be here accused. The fire showed that it would burn the Holy One Pantokratoros. We got Mr. twice. Tosca told him to immediately call the fire department».

Prosecutor: Did you find out how the fire started?

Defendant: No, the fire department then took over to do the investigations.

The trial will continue on January 7 with the apologies of the remaining defendants.