Chilean police on Monday arrested a former fireman for allegedly contributing to a massive blaze that killed 137 people and destroyed thousands of homes in February because he wanted to be a “hero” by helping put it out.
The arrest of Elias Salazar, 39, adds to those of another volunteer firefighter and a forestry official suspected of involvement in the second deadliest inferno recorded in the world this century.
Several fires broke out simultaneously on February 2 around the coastal city of Vina del Mar, some 70 miles (110 kilometers) northwest of Chile’s capital Santiago.
The inferno was fueled by winds and a heat wave that saw temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
Authorities had said from the start that the fires were likely set intentionally.
Salazar was once a volunteer firefighter and until his arrest an employee of the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (Senapred).
Valparaiso police official Guillermo Galvez said Monday Salazar is accused as a “material author” in the events and for allegedly setting at least one of the fires.
About the motivation, Galvez said Salazar “likes to be a hero, participating and helping in emergencies.”
He will appear in court on Tuesday charged with arson.
The other two suspects have been ordered held in pre-trial detention for six months.
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