Greek mayor, 2 others, placed in detention on arson charges

A Greek town mayor and two others have been placed in pre-trial detention on charges of arson over a wildfire that ravaged large areas near Athens on July 31, reported Xinhua, quoting Greek media on Friday.

Investigators have accused the mayor, the contractor for the mayor's company and the owner of the wind farm of arson and damage to public utilities, according to Greek national broadcaster ERT.

Giannis Apostolou, mayor of Stylida, a town around 140 kilometers northwest of the capital, owns an electrical installation company that built the wind farm's power transmission network.

Investigators believed the blaze started beneath one of the wind farm's four medium-voltage overhead power lines and later spread toward western Attica.

All three could face more than 10 years in prison if convicted.

The wind farm's operation was suspended on Friday for a comprehensive inspection of its infrastructure. Its owner was also accused of failing to clear vegetation around the power lines as required by regulations, ERT reported.

The wildfire broke out on July 31 near Agios Vasileios in western Attica burnt more than 120 homes and other buildings, while large parts of forestland, scrubland and olive groves were also ravaged.

Since late July, Greece has been hit by dozens of blazes that have left five people dead, including three firefighters. Two crew members were also killed when two firefighting helicopters collided midair while battling the blazes.