Chilean firefighter arrested for allegedly igniting Feb blaze that killed 137 in Vina del Mar

A firefighter in Chile was arrested on Friday (May 24) on suspicion of igniting a blaze in February this year that killed 137 people in the coastal city of Vina del Mar, media reports said citing authorities.

Police director Eduardo Cerna during a presser said,"An arrest warrant was issued today against the person who started the fires in February in the Valparaiso region."

It is worth mentioning that the Valparaíso region experienced an intense heat wave this summer, with temperatures soaring to 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit. During the first week of February 2024, deadly fires ravaged the area amid extreme heat and the city of Viña del Mar in the region, which is home to 300,000 people, was hit particularly hard.

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As per reports, the accused firefighter who was arrested is a 22-year-old. He reportedly joined the force only 1.5 years ago.

Commander of the 13th Fire Company of Valparaiso Vicente Maggiolo said,“We are completely devastated by what happened, it is a totally isolated incident... we have served Valparaiso for more than 170 years and cannot allow such things."

There were bodies lying around in the streets and many homes were destroyed in the unfortunate February incident.

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These wildfires have been recorded as Chile’s deadliest forest fires in history, marking the most devastating disaster since the 2010 earthquake and tsunami, measured 8.8 on the magnitude scale. The disaster of the massive quake resulted in over 500 confirmed deaths, with hundredsinjured, many people missing and $30 billion in damages.

Vina del Mar that was gutted in the February fire is a popular tourist destination. In the wake of the horrific incident at the time, the Chilean president had announced two days of national mourning starting February 5.

Suspicion of arson

According to the Chilean National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (SENAPRED), there were 165 active fires at the peak of the fire outbreak. The ignition of four fires at the same time on February 2 made some officials suspicious of arson.

Rodrigo Mundaca, the governor of the Valparaiso region also said that some fires might have been deliberately set. Mundaca said, “These fires began in four points that lit up simultaneously." “As authorities we will have to work rigorously to find who is responsible."

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Wildfires are indeed common during the Southern Hemisphere's summer, which spans from December to February. Several factors contribute to the increased incidence and intensity of wildfires during this period.

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In central Chile, the cause of fire cited were high temperatures, high winds and low humidity.

(With inputs from agencies)