Penteli: case file opened against three 13-year-olds over fire

Three minors, aged thirteen, were identified and located by officers of the Arson Crimes Investigation Directorate, with authorities drawing up a case file against them for attempted arson. According to Sunday, 16 August 2026 reports, the case concerns an incident in a wooded area of Ano Vrilissia, near Penteli Avenue. The investigation began with a video shot by a passing driver and broadcast by a television station the previous week, showing minors lighting a fire in a pine-covered area and then trying to contain it. After the footage was broadcast, a call was made to 112 and a search for the children followed; they were located along with their parents. The same case file also includes the parents, for neglecting supervision of a minor.

TodayGrid does not publish any information that could lead to the identification of the minors or their families. The minors, like their parents, are fully covered by the presumption of innocence until otherwise ruled by the courts, and the case file represents a stage of the pre-trial process, not a conviction. For children of this age, Greek criminal law does not provide for penalties but for corrective or therapeutic measures, with the juvenile court having jurisdiction. Some reports state, citing sources rather than an official announcement, that the minors apologised and that their parents were unaware of this particular online “challenge.” This information has not been confirmed by an official authority and is recorded here with an explicit caveat.

The location gives the incident particular weight. The Penteli forest complex is one of the last major green lungs of the northeastern Attica basin and borders directly on the densely populated settlements of Vrilissia, Penteli and Chalandri. It is an area that has been repeatedly hit by wildfires in recent decades, meaning that every new fire, even a small one, is treated by the services as potentially critical. The terrain itself, with pine trees, low vegetation and narrow access roads between homes, means a fire can reach yards within minutes when northerly winds are blowing. On the day of the incident, Attica was under high fire risk, a condition under which the use of open fire outdoors is banned.

The case file is expected to be submitted to the competent prosecutor, and it is not yet known whether any procedural action has been scheduled. The incident comes during a period of intense pressure on Attica’s fire service: the same Sunday, the region was occupied by the double wildfire front on Salamina, while Civil Protection had placed the region on heightened alert, as reported in “Red Code in five areas on Sunday”. Authorities remind the public that any spotted fire should be reported immediately to 199. More reports from the area on the Penteli page.