– Chile accuses volunteer firefighter
– Chile accuses ex-forestry official.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
In a shocking turn of events, a Chilean judge has ordered the detention of a volunteer firefighter and a former forestry official in connection with a mammoth forest fire that ravaged the Valparaiso region, resulting in 137 tragic deaths and leaving 16,000 people homeless in February.
The court in Valparaiso has ruled that the two men, who were apprehended on Friday, will be detained for a period of 180 days while investigations take place.
The main suspect in the case, 22-year-old volunteer firefighter Francisco Mondaca, stands accused of physically igniting the fire. Authorities discovered flares and fireworks in Mondaca’s vehicle, implicating him in the deliberate starting of the blaze.
The second suspect, former National Forest Corporation employee Franco Pinto, is believed to have been involved in planning the crime.
Regional prosecutor Claudia Perivancich stated that investigators have gathered evidence indicating that the two men conspired in advance to commit the act under suitable weather conditions.
Prosecutors revealed that Mondaca confessed to an economic motive behind the arson, suggesting that the intention was to generate more work in fire fighting services. They have not discounted the possibility of additional individuals being implicated in the scheme.
Reactions from Authorities
Valparaiso Fire Department commander Vicente Maggiolo expressed deep dismay at the situation, emphasising that it was an isolated incident that should not overshadow the department’s longstanding commitment to saving lives.
Executive director of the forestry department, Christian Little, described the detention of a former official as a painful development for the agency, pledging to implement stricter hiring procedures in response.
The Devastating Impact of the Megafire
The catastrophic fire erupted on February 2 in the Lago Peñuelas nature reserve in the central region of Chile. Over the course of several days, it spread across multiple communes, decimating more than 10,000 homes. Regarded as Chile’s most severe tragedy since a powerful earthquake claimed over 500 lives on February 27, 2010, the devastation wrought by the inferno has left an indelible mark on the nation.
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Chile wildfire accusations volunteer firefighter ex-forestry official caused massive fire fatalities.
