The Investigative Division of the Kilkis Fire Department made two more arrests for causing fires through negligence, following an investigation into two separate fire incidents that occurred yesterday in areas of the Municipality of Paionia.

Specifically, according to a statement from the Fire Department, in the first case, in the Polykastro area, a 63-year-old man caused a fire at approximately 1:59 p.m., while driving a light-duty truck with a trailer attached, when sparks were generated by the vehicle’s wheel.

The fire burned approximately 2.5 stremmata of dry grass on the embankment of the Polykastro-Evzonon provincial road and 7.5 stremmata of farmland. The perpetrator was arrested on the spot and brought before the competent prosecutor.

The second arrest
In the second incident, at the 538th kilometer of the Patras-Athens-Evzones National Highway, in the lane heading toward Athens near the village of Platanias, a 45-year-old man started a fire at approximately 2:56 p.m., while clearing brush, when he set fire to dry grass on the shoulder of the highway, resulting in the burning of an area of approximately half a stremma. He was arrested, and charges were filed against him.

It should be noted that from January 1 through July 15 of this year, a total of 569 administrative fines have been imposed, amounting to 771,204.44 euros, while 193 arrests have been made under the procedure for offenses caught in the act, of which 177 (91.71%) were for negligence and 16 (8.29%) for intentional acts.

The Fire Department reminds the public that the overwhelming majority of fires continue to be caused by human negligence and emphasizes that compliance with fire safety measures and avoiding activities that may cause sparks or ignition are essential for protecting human life, the natural environment, and citizens’ property.