Selection: Michalis Katsigeras

FIRE AT LIGNITE MINES: The dramatic events of the night before last in the Anthoupoli district of Peristeri in Western Athens are now over, after some 3,000 rioting residents succeeded in destroying the lignite mines belonging to F. Prezanis and making it impossible to reopen them for at least several months and therefore to open new tunnels. The fire (...) burnt down the entire engineering installations. (...) The lignite mines were not insured. (...) Deputy Public Prosecutor Mr Bournas went to Anthoupoli twice yesterday. Accompanied by the senior police chief Mr Nikolopoulos and the governor of Nea Ionia, Mr Spathis, he toured the entire district, observing that many homes had cracks in the walls and were ready to collapse because of the manner in which the mine tunnels had been dug. (...) The residents of Anthoupoli angrily reject the charge that they had been instigated to revolt by Communists and claim they had been driven to set fire to the mines out of desperation, as they saw that the company was taking absolutely no precautions but simply tunneling under the foundations of their homes, caring not at all if they were put in danger of collapsing.