– Chile accuses volunteer firefighter
– Chile accuses ex-forestry official.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
SANTIAGO, Chile — A Chilean judge has ordered the detention of a volunteer firefighter and a former forestry official for their alleged involvement in causing a devastating forest fire in the Valparaiso region earlier this year. The fire, which resulted in 137 deaths and left 16,000 people homeless, sparked outrage across the country.
The court in Valparaiso has ruled that the two men, who were arrested on Friday, will remain in custody for 180 days as the investigation continues into their roles in the tragic incident.
Suspects identified
The main suspect in the case is Francisco Mondaca, a 22-year-old volunteer firefighter from Valparaiso. He is accused of physically starting the fire, with authorities reportedly finding flares and fireworks in his vehicle. The other suspect, Franco Pinto, a former employee of the National Forest Corporation, is believed to have been involved in planning the crime.
Regional prosecutor Claudia Perivancich stated that there is evidence suggesting that the two suspects had premeditated the act, agreeing to set the fire under specific weather conditions. It is suspected that an economic motive, aimed at creating more work in fighting fires, drove their actions.
Reactions from Authorities
The commander of the Valparaiso Fire Department, Vicente Maggiolo, expressed dismay over the situation but emphasised that this was an isolated incident that should not reflect negatively on the department’s longstanding efforts to save lives. Christian Little, executive director of the forestry department, described the detention of a former official as a painful development for the agency.
Both the fire department and the forestry agency have pledged to enhance their hiring procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Impact of the Megafire
The catastrophic fire, which began on February 2 in the Lago Peñuelas nature reserve, spread rapidly through several communes and destroyed over 10,000 homes. This tragedy is considered the worst to hit Chile since the devastating earthquake of 2010 that claimed more than 500 lives.
The investigation into the Valparaiso forest fire case is ongoing, with authorities not ruling out the possibility of additional individuals being involved in the plot.
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Chile accuses volunteer firefighter, ex-forestry official causing blaze that killed in devastating wildfire in Chile..
