Firefighter who ‘wanted to be a hero’ arrested for starting fire that killed 137 people
A former firefighter has been arrested in connection with a deadly forest fire in Chile that killed 137 people in February.
Chilean police accuse the 39-year-old suspect of causing at least one of four simultaneous fires that broke out on February 2 in the Valparaíso region, near the coastal city of Viña del Mar.
The former aid worker was a volunteer who also worked for Chile’s National Disaster Prevention Service.
According to a police statement, authorities believe the man started the fire because “he likes to be a hero and wants to participate and help in emergency situations.”
According to local media, the suspect had previously been hailed as a “hero” for extinguishing another fire.
A former firefighter has been arrested in connection with a deadly Chilean forest fire that killed 137 people in February
Although he was later disciplined by the fire department for acting without official orders, members of the local community praised him for his “swift” action, according to BBC News.
The suspect is the third person arrested in connection with the deadly fire, which officers suspected from the outset was deliberately started.
Two others, a fellow firefighter and a park ranger, have been in custody since May.
Prosecutors suspect the trio were involved in setting the fires. A firefighter arrested in May admitted that he and the park ranger hoped for overtime pay for fighting the fires.
The 22-year-old firefighter admitted to lighting cigarettes and throwing them from his car, sparking a fire in the Lago Peñuelas National Park. The blaze spread quickly due to strong winds and dried-out vegetation.
The fires, which raged in the hills around Viña del Mar and the neighboring towns of Quilpué and Villa Alemana, destroyed thousands of homes and caused widespread devastation.
The area was popular with holidaymakers at the time, but was packed with people seeking shelter from the heat wave.
In addition to the 137 deaths, 16,000 people suffered financial losses and more than 2,000 homes were destroyed.
According to a police statement, authorities believe the former firefighter (not pictured) set the fire because “he likes to be a hero and wants to participate and help in emergency situations.”
The fires, which tore through the hills around Viña del Mar and the neighboring towns of Quilpué and Villa Alemana, destroyed thousands of homes and caused widespread devastation
In addition to the 137 lives lost, 16,000 people suffered financial losses and more than 2,000 homes were destroyed.
It is the worst disaster the South American country has experienced since the 2010 earthquake, which left more than 500 people dead.
The case comes after a 38-year-old Quebec man was found guilty of starting a series of devastating wildfires that left acres of damage in the Canadian province and hundreds of people displaced.
Brian Paré pleaded guilty in January to starting 14 wildfires, including fires in Chapais and Lake Cavan, at a courthouse in Chibougamau, Quebec.
Paré, who has been in custody since his arrest, said little during the hearing, answering only “yes” to a few questions from the judge.
He was charged with 13 counts of arson and one count of arson with disregard for human life.