A beekeeper has been arrested for the forest fire in Stamata, north-eastern Athens, on Wednesday morning. The 64-year-old man was initially detained late on Tuesday on the ground that he has beehives on the hill above the cemetery of Stamata, there where the blaze started. Witnesses had seen him in the area short time before, state broadcaster ERT reported.
The beekeeper denied that he smoked the beehives but members of the Arson Crime Department of the Fire Service apparently had evidence that he did.
He is reportedly charged with arson due to negligence.
Four people who were previously detained as suspects for arson were released late on Tuesday.
The fire started in Stamata short time before Tuesday noon and quickly spread to Rodopoli and Dionyssos due to wind blowing with intensity of 5 Beaufort.
Immediate was the response of the Fire Service that operated for several hours with a force of 310 firefighters, 110 trucks, 12 helicopters, 9 aircraft including a Berier-200 and several volunteers.
Video: Drone on Wed morning, after the forest fire was extinguished
Some settlements in the area were evacuated as the fire reached residential areas. Most of the residents were moved away with municipality buses.
9 people were taken to hospitals and were treated for respiratory problems.
Some 20 houses have been damaged, some of them burned down completely, and many parked vehicles.
