Chile Accuses Volunteer Firefighter and Ex-Official for Causing Fire that Killed 137

A Chilean judge has ordered a volunteer firefighter and a former forestry official to be detained for allegedly planning and causing a devastating forest fire in the Valparaiso region that resulted in 137 deaths and left 16,000 people homeless in February.

The main suspect, Francisco Mondaca, a 22-year-old volunteer firefighter in Valparaiso, is accused of physically starting the fire, with flares and fireworks found in his vehicle. The other suspect, Franco Pinto, a former employee of the National Forest Corporation, is accused of planning the crime.

Investigators have evidence that the two men agreed in advance to carry out the act when weather conditions were suitable. Prosecutors revealed that Mondaca cited an economic motive behind the plot, aiming to create more work in fighting fires. They have not ruled out the possibility of more individuals being involved.

The commander of the Valparaiso Fire Department expressed dismay over the situation, emphasizing that it should not tarnish the department’s longstanding history of saving lives. The forestry department also expressed regret over the detention of a former official, vowing to tighten hiring procedures.

The megafire, which began on February 2 in the Lago Peñuelas nature reserve, burned several communes and destroyed over 10,000 homes. This tragedy is considered Chile’s worst since a devastating earthquake in 2010 that claimed over 500 lives.