Kalo Chorio fire: two probes reach Attorney General and army chief

Local firemilitarynational guardTop News Kalo Chorio fire: two probes reach Attorney General and army chief Fwtia3 1536x838 (1) Relevant News Kalo Chorio fire: two probes reach Attorney General and army chief 18 August 2026 Cyprus mourns seven dead in five tragic incidents this summer 18 August 2026 Christodoulides, Mitsotakis, Macron agree to push cable project forward with navtex, French survey ships 18 August 2026 Fanis Makrides 18 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Attorney General and National Guard chief Emmanouil Theodorou now hold both investigations into the fire that broke out at the Kalo Chorio firing range on July 27, philenews has learned, putting them in a position to decide on next steps. The blaze directly threatened the communities of Agia Anna and Pseudas. One investigation was carried out by Brigadier Savvas Stefanou on behalf of the National Guard. The other was conducted by Cyprus Police and has already been completed and forwarded to the Law Office, according to an official briefing given to philenews. Developments expected soon Developments are likely soon in relation to the military’s investigation, which records all events surrounding the controlled detonation of military material and includes a detailed account of what happened from the moment the fire broke out until it grew out of control. National Guard chief Emmanouil Theodorou will take any decisions, philenews was told. A source familiar with military procedures said the chief, depending on the facts recorded in the brigadier’s report, will decide whether disciplinary measures need to be taken. The same source added that decisions on the brigadier’s investigation are expected next week, based on current information, when it will also become clear what action will follow. A shell that exploded One piece of information put to philenews was that the fire grew out of control because of a shell left at the site from an earlier exercise that had not detonated. “It exploded when fire broke out at the range, causing it to spread,” philenews was told. However, a military official questioned by philenews said that although this information had been raised with them, there does not appear to be a relevant reference in the brigadier’s report. Firebreaks Senior military figures have already looked at measures to prevent such incidents happening again. A well-informed source told philenews that the National Guard itself will take charge of creating firebreaks at training sites to prevent fires spreading into residential areas. “The measures expected to be taken will be considerably greater,” the source said. The police investigation The police investigation was carried out by officers from Aradippou police station. The case file has been compiled and, Cyprus Police officially confirmed to philenews, “has been submitted to the Attorney General since last week.” The exercise American soldiers and personnel from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, which falls under the Engineering Corps, took part in the joint training exercise that led to the fire. During the joint exercise, six anti-tank RPG warheads were neutralised through a controlled explosion, which senior Cyprus military officials attended. Safety questions were raised from the moment the fire broke out. Questions were raised over whether the area had been cleared of vegetation and whether a pit had been dug so the warheads would not explode at ground level. An expert who spoke to philenews also questioned whether the necessary earthworks had been carried out around the detonation site to create a safe distance from the blast. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Cyprus mourns seven dead in five tragic incidents this summer Christodoulides, Mitsotakis, Macron agree to push cable project forward with navtex, French survey ships A wetter year rescued Cyprus’s dams, but key reserves could still run dry Modern offices pull ahead in Nicosia as older buildings face obsolescence ‘Every generation has to live and deal with what came before.’ : Cypriot author on shared guilt Cypriots keep hospitality venues busy as tourist visits drop by up to 20% Rain, thunderstorms and possible hail forecast on Tuesday Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.