A 26-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, both Brazilian nationals, have been remanded in custody for eight days in connection with an alleged attempt to start a fire in the Kornos forest.
The pair were arrested as part of an investigation into an attempted arson attack that allegedly took place on 2 August.
According to police evidence, the two suspects are alleged to have ignited ground fireworks, a type of pyrotechnic device placed and activated on the ground, in a forested area for reasons that remain under investigation.
Fire extinguished by passing couple
At around 7pm on the day of the incident, a couple travelling by car in the Kornos area reportedly noticed two individuals behaving suspiciously before getting into a vehicle and leaving the scene.
Moments later, they discovered a fire had broken out in a nearby forest area.
The couple succeeded in extinguishing the blaze before it spread, potentially preventing a major wildfire.
During the investigation, police secured witness testimony and obtained an arrest warrant for the 26-year-old suspect, who was initially detained.
He is being investigated for alleged offences including:
- Conspiracy to commit a felony.
- Attempted arson in a forest area.
- Illegal possession and use of explosive materials.
- Related offences.
Second suspect arrested
The 28-year-old woman, identified as the man's partner, was arrested on 3 August and is being investigated for the same offences.
Both suspects, who live and work for a company in Limassol, appeared before the Larnaca District Court, which issued an eight-day detention order.
According to the report, neither suspect provided satisfactory explanations for their presence in the forested area.
Photo of vehicle aided investigation
The case was first disclosed by Chief Fire Officer Nikos Longinos, the national fire coordinator.
He said a female motorist witnessed an individual setting dry grass on fire using a pyrotechnic device before leaving in a vehicle.
The witness managed to photograph the vehicle and later provided the image to the authorities, who launched an investigation.
Before doing so, she and her partner used water they had in their car to extinguish the fire.
Potentially serious consequences
Authorities noted that the consequences could have been severe had the fire not been detected immediately.
The pine-covered area includes residential properties as well as a local chapel.
It was also reported that more than 50 worshippers were attending an evening service at the chapel at the time of the incident.
The investigation is being handled by the Kofinou Regional Police Station.
Authorities and local officials have urged the public to report such incidents immediately and also warned against dumping rubbish in forest areas, noting that discarded waste can also create serious fire risks.
