The second-instance trial for the 2018 Mati fire, which led to 104 deaths and dozens of injuries, is still ongoing. The journalistic team of fyi.news has outlined the events and responsibilities, as they are being reviewed by the judicial authorities.
(fyiteam)
On the afternoon of July 23, 2018, a fire set by a 65-year-old man to burn weeds on his field in the Daou Pentelis area quickly spread out of control.
Due to strong winds (45-75 km/h), the fire spread rapidly through the settlements of Neos Voutzas, Mati, and Kokkino Limanaki, resulting in 104 deaths and at least 30 serious injuries*.
Over 1,500 homes were destroyed or damaged, and tens of thousands of hectares of forest were reduced to ashes.
*This was the second deadliest fire of the 21st century, after the 2009 wildfires in Australia (173 deaths).
Earlier, at 12:00 PM on the same day, a fire broke out in Kineta (Gerania Mountains) due to power lines from the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network (DEH). According to the expert’s report, this fire caused the collapse of the state mechanism, leading to the tragedy.
In Kineta, 14 people were injured, over 60,000 hectares of forest were burned, and hundreds of homes were damaged.
According to the prosecutors’ report (2019), the Civil Protection Mechanism, including:
failed to effectively fulfill its legal responsibilities.
There was a lack of coordination, communication, and cooperation among these entities, and mistakes and omissions occurred regarding mobilization, response, and overall management of the situation.
In 2018, the “112” emergency alert system was not operational for informing citizens during emergencies.
(fyiteam)
The order for a general alert of the Fire Department was issued with a one-hour delay, allowing the fire to cross Marathon Avenue and spread uncontrollably towards Mati and Kokkino Limanaki.
Furthermore, only 13 firefighting vehicles were deployed in the area, with no intervention in Mati.
The Fire Department received calls from citizens reporting people in danger, and instead of sending its own forces for their rescue, it forwarded these cases to the (incompetent) Police, which lacked both the knowledge and the resources.
The relevant authorities communicated in an uncoordinated manner (using personal and service mobile phones, radios), and there was no unified picture or information shared between the Fire Department, the Police, and the Coast Guard.
The lack of an evacuation plan is evident in the fact that traffic management was also handled by citizens (Marathon Avenue).
As a result, a large number of vehicles entered Mati, in addition to those already there. When residents, in a state of panic, attempted to escape, traffic congestion formed on the streets, leading to the entrapment of passengers, vehicles, and pedestrians.
Additionally, the Port Authority continued to disembark vehicles and passengers at the port of Rafina as usual.
(fyiteam)
Of the 4 aircraft that took off at different times, 2 aborted their missions due to technical issues.
The remaining 2 arrived in the area when it was already too late, and even today, there is no proof that they were able to operate, as the strong winds made it extremely difficult to collect water from the sea.
As a result, during the first 20 critical minutes of the fire in Mati, only one helicopter was operating, and about half an hour later, the second one arrived.
(fyiteam)
The judicial process for assigning responsibility began in 2022 and concluded in 2024.
Six out of the 21 defendants were found guilty (4 Fire Department officials, 1 from the Greek Police, and the resident who started the fire) of misdemeanors, while the rest, including the political figures, were acquitted.
The sentences ranged from 3 to 111 years, but the actual sentences were much shorter and could be bought off (€38,000 each).
All were released.
(fyiteam)
Immediately after the first-instance ruling, the Supreme Court called for a review of the decision regarding the acquittal of the 15 individuals for the Mati fire, as well as the mitigating factors, the sentences, and the manner in which they were to be served for the 6 convicted individuals.
As a result, on March 13, 2025, the prosecutor at the Court of Appeals requested the conviction of 12 of the 21 defendants in the second-instance trial.
The charges are once again of a misdemeanor nature, and political figures are now included in the case, such as the then regional governor of Attica, R. Dourou, the then mayor of Rafina-Pikermi, E. Bournous, and the then General Secretary of Civil Protection, I. Kapakis.
The Court of Appeals’ decision on the sentences is expected before Easter.
