Faulty power cable may have caused Greece’s worst wildfire this year, sources say

A drone view shows destroyed houses and a destroyed car in a charred forest area following a wildfire, in the village of Varnavas, Greece, on August 13, 2024. [Fedja Grulovic/Reuters]

Investigators suspect a faulty power cable may have caused Greece's worst wildfire this year, said sources close to a probe over the blaze that killed one woman and torched 10,000 hectares near Athens, covering a total area about the size of Paris.

The blaze, which began on Aug. 11, broke out from a forest off Varnavas town, 35 km (22 miles) from the capital and into Athens' northern suburbs, some of which had never seen a wildfire before, within a day.

Authorities have questioned Varnavas residents as part of their investigation into what caused the blaze. A 76-year old man said a wooden electricity pillar outside his home, which had a loose cable fastened to it with a hanger, could have triggered it, officials said.

That scenario was the leading one in the probe, which should be concluded over the coming months, an official with knowledge of the investigation...

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