Authorities begin damage assessment in Chios, woman arrested for arson
Authorities are assessing the damage caused by recent wildfires on the island of Chios, while a woman has been arrested in connection with one of the blazes.
Speaking to Kathimerini, Chios Mayor Yiannis Malafis said the situation is largely under control, with current efforts focused on monitoring and extinguishing remaining hotspots and possible flare-ups.
“Patrols have begun, and the watering of still-smoking areas continues intensively, as the next two or three days remain high-risk for rekindling. At noon, we’ll begin assessing the damage,” he noted.
According to the latest satellite estimate from Copernicus EU, the fire has scorched approximately 4,092 hectares as of midday Tuesday.
A unit from the fire service’s arson investigation directorate has arrived on the island and a woman has already been taken into custody.
The suspect, a domestic worker of Georgian nationality, was brought in for questioning and admitted to her involvement in the most recent of the five fire fronts that struck the island in the past days.
According to sources, she confessed that on Monday around 10 a.m., while in the Leptopoda area, she threw a cigarette on the ground in the same spot where the fire later broke out.
She claimed she attempted to put it out with her foot and expressed remorse for the consequences of her actions.
The woman has been arrested for negligent arson, though the case remains under investigation.
Kathimerini
