Authorities in Chile have arrested a firefighter and a forestry official on suspicion of starting a blaze that killed 137 people in the resort city of Viña del Mar in February.
“An arrest warrant was issued today against the person who started the fires in February in the Valparaíso region,” where Viña del Mar is located, police director Eduardo Cerna announced at a news conference.
Later, the Valparaíso regional prosecutor’s office confirmed the arrest of a second suspect, an official of the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf), responsible for fighting forest fires and managing national parks.
Both men will be remanded in custody on Saturday on charges of arson resulting in deaths.
Several fires broke out simultaneously on February 2 around the coastal city of Viña del Mar, 70 miles (110 km) northwest of Chile’s capital, Santiago.
The inferno, fueled by winds and a heatwave with temperatures reaching about 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), became the second deadliest fire in the world this century.
Local media reported that the firefighter is a 22-year-old man who joined the volunteer force a year and a half ago.
“We are completely devastated by what happened. It is a totally isolated incident.
“We have served Valparaíso for more than 170 years and cannot allow such things,” said Vicente Maggiolo, commander of the 13th Fire Company of Valparaíso.
“Ivan Navarro, chief of the environmental crime investigation authority, said detectives reconstructed the firefighter’s actions before, during, and after the fire.
“We were able to determine the exact locations where the fires broke out and find the device that started them,” he said.
“We also identified the involvement of a second person, accused of being the mastermind behind the arson.”
“He provided him with the knowledge to make these devices and also told him the exact times to operate so that the fire would do more damage,” Navarro said.
Public Ministry investigators determined that the inferno started with small simultaneous blazes near Lake Peñuelas, in the port city of Valparaíso next to Viña del Mar.
The hot and windy weather quickly spread the flames. “There were approximately four outbreaks, equidistant from each other,” prosecutor Osvaldo Ossandón stated.
“He provided him with the knowledge to make these devices and also told him the exact times to operate so that the fire would do more damage,” Navarro said.
Public Ministry investigators determined that the inferno started with small simultaneous blazes near Lake Peñuelas, in the port city of Valparaíso next to Viña del Mar.
The hot and windy weather quickly spread the flames. “There were approximately four outbreaks, equidistant from each other,” prosecutor Osvaldo Ossandón stated.
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