In February, Chile experienced its worst fire in history, which was caused by a former firefighter and a Conaf official. The tragedy left 137 people dead, thousands of homes destroyed and 16,000 victims. The firefighter, Francisco Ignacio Mondaca Mella, was arrested along with his alleged accomplice, Franco Pinto, who is an official of the National Forestry Corporation.
The fires started simultaneously in the Lake Peñuelas Natural Park and spread rapidly due to strong gusts of wind and extreme temperatures. Investigators found evidence of intentional ignition with a cigarette butt surrounded by matches tied by a thread. This led them to link Mondaca and Pinto to the fires through witness statements, security camera footage, and georeferencing records.
Mondaca was found with flares and fireworks in his vehicle, suggesting an economic motivation to start fires for work contracts. This incident shocked his colleagues as he was described as a calm individual who had passed all psychological tests. However, investigations revealed that this was an isolated incident, and authorities emphasized their commitment to strengthen mechanisms to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.
The involvement of a former Conaf official was seen as a pain for the institution. Justice Minister Carolina Toha stated that the arrest of the perpetrators was an act of reparation for the victims and called for stricter controls on individuals entering such institutions.
In conclusion, the worst fire in Chile’s history caused by two individuals with different backgrounds has brought attention to the need for stronger regulations and prevention measures to avoid similar incidents from happening again in the future.
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