Greece Fire Tragedy: Officials Jailed for Negligence

In a significant legal decision, four former senior fire service and civil protection officials in Greece have been sentenced to five years in prison. The ruling comes after the officials were found guilty of negligence during a catastrophic wildfire that occurred outside Athens in 2018, claiming over 100 lives.

The convicted individuals include a former fire chief, his deputy, the head of a disaster coordination center, and a former director of the government's civil protection agency. They were charged with causing loss of life through their inability to organize a proper evacuation as the July 23, 2018 fire rapidly engulfed the seaside community of Mati.

This case emerged from an initial trial where the officials were found guilty but not imprisoned. However, a retrial was ordered following a senior prosecutor's challenge. This verdict highlights Greece's ongoing struggle with increasing annual wildfires, issues officials attribute to climate change.

(With inputs from agencies.)