Two 18-year-olds remanded in custody after Fontainebleau fires
An auxiliary firefighter and a student have been imprisoned after being brought before the courts for their alleged role in the fires that consumed a large part of the forest massif.
Two 18-year-olds remanded in custody after Fontainebleau fires
Magistrates have decided to place two 18-year-old young men behind bars, suspected of deliberately triggering the incidents that affected the wooded massif of Fontainebleau. One of them works as a volunteer rescue worker with a fire service, whilst the other is pursuing higher education.
The facts date back to Sunday, when several fires were reported in this wooded area classified as a Unesco natural heritage site, situated around sixty kilometres south-east of the capital. In total, approximately two thousand hectares of vegetation were destroyed by the flames.
According to information communicated by franceinfo to Agence Radio France, the two defendants had no relationship with each other. The first, the volunteer firefighter, initially admitted to having used a lighter and fuel to ignite kindling, before retracting this statement the following day. The second also acknowledged his active participation during his custody.
The two individuals were brought before the courts on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, before being remanded in custody for "destruction by fire". The Fontainebleau public prosecutor's office confirmed these details.
Source: France Info