The three defendants attempted to disassociate the theft of the copper pipes from the natural gas facility from the explosion that killed six people in the ill-fated building in Plaka, on Lysikratous Street; this was the attempt made by the three defendants, aged 55, 37, and 34, respectively, who had earlier appeared before the investigating judge to give their statements and were ultimately remanded in custody. According to reports, they admitted that a few hours before the tragedy, they went to Plaka and broke into the neoclassical building with the intent of stealing copper natural gas pipes, claiming that they could not have foreseen this disastrous outcome.
At the same time, they attempted to distance themselves from causing the leak; one blamed the other for cutting the pipe, while they admitted that after removing the pipe, there was a smell of gas—a detail of particular significance in reconstructing the events leading up to the explosion, according to the Fire Department.
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“I am devastated; I am not to blame for the explosion,” said the oldest of the three, while the second defendant also apologized, and the third refused to say anything upon their arrival.
The court-appointed attorneys for the defendants in the Plaka explosion case initially expressed their condolences to the victims’ families and emphasized their confidence that justice would be served.
“They deny any connection to the explosion” was the only statement regarding the substance of the case made by the defense attorneys, explaining that this is a case that has shocked the entire country, as well as themselves, and that they do not wish to make any further statements.
It should be noted that the three entered a plea with defense attorneys appointed by the investigating judge, in response to the extremely serious charge that their attempt to remove a copper natural gas pipe caused a major leak, which resulted,a few hours later, an explosion caused by a spark from an electrical switch, which subsequently leveled the building, crushing two young American tourist couples, including a pregnant woman and an older couple—a Greek woman and her British husband—who were permanent residents of an apartment in the neoclassical building.
“Our lives changed forever that day.”
For their part, the lawyers representing the families of the Americans, in a joint statement, described the decision to remand the defendants in custody as “a significant development in the course of justice.” At the same time, they are calling for an expansion of the investigation, which, they say, “should not be limited exclusively to the actions of the three defendants.”
“Our families remain shocked and devastated by the tragic loss of our beloved children, Ian, Florida, Florin, and Eris, as well as our unborn little Bora. Our lives changed forever that day. We lost our loved ones, their dreams, and the future we would have shared with them. It is a loss that cannot be described in words and a pain that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Today’s decision to remand the three defendants in custody marks a significant step forward in the course of justice. For our families, however, the quest for justice does not end here. We await the full clarification of the case, the revelation of all the facts, and the assignment of full responsibility for the tragedy that took the lives of our loved ones. The investigation into this case cannot and must not be limited solely to the actions of the three defendants. We consider it equally important to thoroughly examine all the circumstances that allowed a natural gas leak to escalate into such a catastrophic explosion. We call for an investigation into the natural gas facilities and infrastructure, the adequacy of the prescribed safety measures, inspections, maintenance, as well as oversight of compliance with relevant regulations. We want to know not only how the leak occurred, but also why the tragedy was not prevented. If there were any omissions, failures, or violations of safety regulations, we demand that they be brought to light and that the responsibilities of all those who may have contributed to this tragic outcome be investigated.
We express our deep gratitude to the Arson Crimes Division and its officers for their decisive contribution, to the rescue workers who worked tirelessly to search for survivors, the Fire Department for its immediate response, as well as the investigative and judicial authorities for their efforts to date to fully elucidate all aspects of this tragedy. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the Embassy of the United States and to all those who stood by our side, offering substantial assistance and support during these extremely difficult times.We know that no court ruling and no punishment can bring back the people we have lost. What we can do, however, in their memory is to continue seeking the truth and justice until all questions are answered.
We do not want the tragedy of our children to be just another tragic news story that will be forgotten over time. We want their loss to be the catalyst for meaningful change, so that no other family will ever have to experience this pain. For Ian, Florida, Florin, Eris, and little Bora, we will continue to fight for truth and justice.”
It should be noted that the three defendants—two Greeks and one Albanian—were remanded in custody with the consent of the investigating judge and the prosecutor on charges of the felonies of arson, causing an explosion, and multiple counts of homicide with possible intent, as well as the misdemeanor of multiple counts of causing serious bodily injury, offenses they are alleged to have committed as co-conspirators.
Source: Proto Thema
