27 May Firefighter arrested for blaze that killed 137

Two individuals, including a firefighter and a forestry worker, have been apprehended by Chilean authorities on suspicion of igniting a devastating fire that claimed the lives of at least 137 people in February. 

According to police director Eduardo Cerna, one of the suspects was employed by the National Forestry Corporation, which is tasked with combating forest fires.

The accused have been placed in custody and charged with arson resulting in fatalities.

The fire, which was declared the deadliest in the country, wrought havoc in the Valparaíso region, located over 122 kilometres (75 miles) from the capital city of Santiago.

Officials assert that multiple fires were deliberately initiated simultaneously, and the subsequent combination of high temperatures and wind facilitated the rapid spread of the flames. 

The conflagration impacted over 16,000 individuals, resulting in the destruction of residences and severe devastation in the area, which is also home to Vina del Mar, a favoured holiday spot.

Vicente Maggiolo, commander of the 13th Fire Company in Valparaiso, expressed distress over the arrest of the firefighter, emphasising that such actions are entirely isolated and not a reflection of the company’s longstanding service to Valparaiso.

Prosecutor Osvaldo Ossandón disclosed that approximately four separate ignition points were identified, each equally distant from the others. 

He further mentioned that materials believed to have been used to start the fires were discovered in the residence of one of the suspects. Investigators are also exploring potential connections to other instances of arson.