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Patras: Fire at Former Pirelli Factory Ruled Arson, Copper Theft Suspected
🇬🇷 Greece /Crime & Justice

Patras: Fire at Former Pirelli Factory Ruled Arson, Copper Theft Suspected

From Ta Nea · (15m ago) Greek Critical tone

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Firefighters in Patras, Greece, concluded that a large fire at the former Pirelli factory was arson.
  • The fire, which started on May 2, produced thick, toxic smoke from burning tires.
  • Authorities suspect the fire may have been set to steal copper wiring from the tires for scrap metal resale.

A significant fire that engulfed the former Pirelli factory in Patras has been officially classified as arson by the investigative department of the Fire Service. The blaze, which erupted on the afternoon of May 2 in the Lefka area, sent a dense cloud of toxic black smoke billowing over a large part of the region, originating from a stockpile of tires. Investigators have gathered evidence strongly suggesting a deliberate act rather than an accidental incident. Initial assessments point towards a potential motive of theft, with perpetrators possibly targeting the copper wiring contained within the tires for resale as scrap metal. The Deputy Regional Governor of Achaea and head of Civil Protection, Fokion Zaimis, described the fire as 'strange,' emphasizing that the official findings of the Fire Service are awaited to determine the exact causes. This incident raises serious concerns about public safety and the potential for criminal activity disguised as industrial accidents.

It is one of those fires that raise questions. We await the official report from the Fire Service which will reveal the exact causes of the incident.

— Fokion ZaimisThe Deputy Regional Governor of Achaea commented on the unusual nature of the fire at the former Pirelli factory.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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