Three former fire chiefs and a former civil protection secretary were sentenced to five years in prison for a deadly forest fire near Athens in 2018.

The fire, the deadliest in modern Greek history, claimed the lives of 104 people and injured dozens more in the seaside resort of Mati on July 23, 2018.

Many of the victims were trapped in traffic while trying to escape the flames. Others drowned while trying to escape by sea. Fishermen rescued many of the survivors.

The Athens Court of Appeals increased the sentences of the four, sentencing them to 340 years in prison, of which five years are effective, the country's state news agency reported.

The court president said the prison sentences were imposed because the employees were considered likely to "commit new crimes."

The court prosecutor insisted on imprisonment to prevent future "reckless actions."

The court of first instance initially imposed suspended sentences of five years and fines of €40,000 on the four employees last year for involuntary manslaughter and criminal negligence.

The court also sentenced six other defendants, including firefighters, to 238 years in prison with five years of imprisonment, which can be replaced with a €10 per day fine.

At the time, the center-left government of then-Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras blamed strong winds gusting up to 120 kilometers per hour for the chaotic evacuation.

Residents said they had received no warning of the impending danger.

Initially, 21 people were charged, including several local and political officials, but many of them were acquitted at the first court hearing. | BGNES