DEDDIE network manager released on conditions after Rethymno wildfire that killed two firefighters

The charges

On Saturday, 1 August 2026, the network operations manager of DEDDIE for Rethymno, an electrical-mechanical engineer, appeared before an investigating judge. He faces a felony charge of arson with possible intent by omission, specifically, failure to act as a person obliged to prevent the danger, in connection with the wildfire that swept through Krya Vrysi in southern Rethymno. The blaze killed two firefighters and burned tens of thousands of stremmata of land. The defendant is not the head of DEDDIE in the prefecture and denies the accusation.

Release with conditions

After his testimony, the investigating judge and prosecutor ordered his release with restrictive conditions: a ban on leaving Greece and mandatory appearance at his local police station. The decision came on Saturday afternoon, the same day he was brought before the court. He had been arrested earlier following a report by the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes, which the defense describes as rushed.

Defense pushes back

Defense lawyer Andreas Argyropoulos described the proceedings as "a very difficult process", arguing that the pressure from the disaster and the loss of two lives led to hasty procedural actions during the preliminary investigation. He stated that his client was presented as responsible for network maintenance "without being", and that the judicial authorities evaluated these claims. Argyropoulos said the defendant cooperated fully, providing detailed explanations, and called him "one of the most worthy employees of the network", with active involvement in fault restoration and smooth operation.

It was a very difficult process. The pressure from the events, the destruction and the loss of two human lives led to hasty procedural actions during the preliminary investigation.

The defense also criticized the fire investigation brigade's findings as rushed and argued that a preliminary investigation should have been conducted before the felony charge was filed. They await a crucial expert report from DEDDIE, which they say will provide specific technical evidence on how the fire started.

DEDDIE's response

On Friday, 31 July, DEDDIE issued a statement rejecting what it called arbitrary public references that try to pin blame for wildfires on the electricity network without any evidence. The operator cited data from the Unified Coordination Center for Operations and Crisis Management for 2025, showing that only 1% of incidents are actually attributed to the power grid, compared to 3% in the United States. The statement said such targeting creates false impressions and sometimes serves temporary expediencies and selfish interests, covering local responsibilities.

Arbitrary public references that attempt to attribute blame for the fires to the electricity network, without any evidence, are being repeated. The easy targeting of DEDDIE every time a fire breaks out serves neither the truth nor the protection of citizens.

The company said its crews were present at all fire fronts, working to assist firefighting forces and restore electricity, and pledged to continue cooperating fully with authorities.

What comes next

The defendant remains under the restrictive conditions while the investigation continues. The awaited expert report from DEDDIE is expected to clarify technical aspects of the fire's origin. The case has drawn attention to the legal treatment of infrastructure managers in wildfire-prone Greece, where the network operator insists that only a tiny fraction of fires are linked to the grid.