1. Volunteer firefighter accuses ex-forestry official of causing massive fire in Chile
2. Chilean volunteer firefighter and former forestry official blamed for deadly blaze that claimed 137 lives.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
SANTIAGO, Chile — (AP) — In a significant development, a Chilean judge on Saturday ordered the detention of a volunteer firefighter and a former forestry official for their alleged involvement in planning and causing a devastating forest fire in the Valparaiso region. The fire resulted in 137 deaths and left 16,000 people homeless back in February.
The court in Valparaiso has ruled that the two men, who were apprehended on Friday, will remain in custody for 180 days while the investigation continues.
According to the chief prosecutor in the case, Osvaldo Ossandón, the primary suspect is Francisco Mondaca, a 22-year-old volunteer firefighter from Valparaiso who is believed to have physically started the fire. Mondaca’s vehicle was found to have flares and fireworks, indicating his involvement in the incident.
The other suspect, identified as Franco Pinto, is a former employee of the National Forest Corporation and is accused of masterminding the crime.
Regional prosecutor for Valparaiso, Claudia Perivancich, stated that there is evidence suggesting that the two individuals had premeditated the act and agreed to execute it under favourable weather conditions.
Prosecutors revealed that Mondaca admitted to an economic motive behind the arson, aiming to create more work opportunities in firefighting. They have not ruled out the possibility of additional accomplices.
Expressing dismay over the situation, the commander of the Valparaiso Fire Department, Vicente Maggiolo, labelled it as an isolated incident and emphasized that it should not overshadow the department’s longstanding commitment to saving lives.
Christian Little, executive director of the forestry department, expressed regret over the detention of a former official, describing it as a setback for the agency.
Both the fire department and forestry agency have pledged to enhance their hiring procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The massive fire erupted on February 2 in the Lago Peñuelas nature reserve in central Chile, engulfing several communes and destroying over 10,000 homes. It stands as Chile’s worst tragedy since the devastating magnitude 8.8 earthquake that claimed over 500 lives on February 27, 2010.
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Chile accuses volunteer firefighter and ex-forestry official with causing huge fire that killed – Action News Jax.
