Damage from Goggakis fire amounts to €25 million

The damage for the Goggakis company from the fire that burned four and rendered a total of six stremmata of covered facilities unusable is estimated at €25 million. Four weeks after the fateful night of October 17, the removal of roughly 1,500 tons of spoiled animal waste is being completed, so that full clearing of the site and reconstruction of the offices can begin—offices which, although they did not burn, were engulfed in thick toxic smoke.

On Monday, Spyros Goggakis will testify before the Arta Prosecutor regarding the case of transporting and ultimately depositing part of the animal waste in Filippiada. The company maintains that it acted strictly according to the law, possessing all required approvals and permits for transport to a licensed unit. The trucks departed from Corfu on a chartered vessel and with the approval of the Veterinary Service.

The incidents that followed—the initial refusal of another operator to accept the load, the embarrassment of the local authorities, and the back-and-forth between the responsible ministries—are recorded in the case file and are striking.

Spyros Goggakis is trying to reassure nearby residents, noting that the remains were repeatedly sprayed to neutralise them and that the company carried out rodent control in the area. He also stresses that the facilities are connected to the municipality’s sewage system, while the animal waste and packaging were removed by specialised, certified companies.

Regarding the causes of the fire, the possibility of arson is ruled out, as no suspicious activity was detected on the camera network. Two possibilities are being investigated: a fault in the electrical system or a problem with the generator that was operating due to a power outage that night. However, it was not the first time that the power had gone out…

GIORGOS KATSAITIS