A former firefighter has been arrested in connection with a deadly wildfire in Chile that killed 137 people in February.
Chilean police accuse the 39-year-old suspect of starting at least one of four simultaneous fires that broke out in the Valparaiso region near the coastal city of Viña del Mar on February 2.
The former emergency worker was a volunteer who also worked for Chile’s National Disaster Prevention Service.
Authorities believe the man started the fire because he “likes to be a hero, participate and help in emergencies,” according to a police statement.
Local media reported that the suspect had previously been hailed as a “hero” for containing another fire.
A former firefighter has been arrested in connection with a deadly wildfire in Chile that killed 137 people in February
Although he was later disciplined by the fire service for acting without official orders, local community members praised him for his “quick” action, according to BBC News.
The suspect is the third person arrested in connection with the deadly fire, which officers suspected from the start had been deliberately set.
Two others, a fellow firefighter and a forest ranger, have been detained since May.
Prosecutors suspect the trio conspired to start the fires, and the firefighter arrested in May admitted he and the ranger expected to be rewarded with overtime for fighting them.
The 22-year-old firefighter admitted lighting cigarettes and throwing them from his car to start the blaze in Lago Peñuelas national park, which spread rapidly due to strong winds and dry vegetation.
The fires, which swept through the hills around Viña del Mar and the neighbouring towns of Quilpué and Villa Alemana, destroyed thousands of homes and caused widespread devastation.
The area, popular with tourists at the time, was packed with people seeking shelter from a heat wave.
In addition to the 137 lives lost, 16,000 people suffered economic losses and more than 2,000 homes were reduced to ashes.
Authorities believe the former firefighter (not pictured) started the blaze because he “likes to be a hero, to get involved and help in emergencies,” according to a police statement.
The fires, which swept through the hills around Viña del Mar and the neighbouring 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 economic losses and more than 2,000 homes were reduced to ashes.
It is the worst disaster in the South American country since the 2010 earthquake that killed more than 500 people.
This comes after a 38-year-old Quebec man was found guilty of starting a series of devastating wildfires, which damaged hectares across the Canadian province and displaced hundreds of people.
Brian Paré pleaded guilty in January to setting 14 forest fires, including those in Chapais and Lake Cavan, in a court in Chibougamau, Quebec.
Paré, who has been in custody since his arrest, said little during the hearing, merely answering “yes” to a series of questions from the judge.
He had been charged with 13 counts of arson and one count of arson with disregard for human life.
