18-year-old firefighter admits to starting Fontainebleau fire
A young man aged 18, a member of the volunteer firefighting service, has admitted to starting a fire in the Fontainebleau forest massif, where five suspects have been arrested.
18-year-old firefighter admits to starting Fontainebleau fire
Five suspects have been arrested in connection with an investigation into the blaze that has devastated part of the Fontainebleau forest massif since 12 July. Among them is an 18-year-old adolescent, an active member of the voluntary firefighting service of the municipality, who has admitted to lighting twigs by pouring petrol on them.
The fire, which has already destroyed several hectares of forest, is said by investigators to be the result of a deliberate act. The young man, who had never previously had any trouble with the law, was serving as a firefighter within the very locality affected by the flames. He was apprehended during investigations launched after the fire began.
Since the beginning of summer, police have arrested 59 individuals suspected of being responsible for starting fires. The problem of arsonists is of particular concern to the authorities during this period marked by heatwaves and drought.
Dr Pierre Lamothe, psychiatrist and criminologist, has indicated that perpetrators of this type frequently act driven by a desire for spectacle, deriving hidden satisfaction from committing a notable act without being unmasked. He adds that these individuals typically encounter difficulties in controlling their feelings and their hostility in everyday life.
Lawyer François Bermond, who has recently defended several defendants accused of arson, has described profiles of people who act without assessing the consequences of their actions. According to his account, these individuals only comprehend the scale of destruction — destroyed crops, destroyed wooded areas, homes threatened — once they are placed in detention.
On Tuesday 14 July, a man in his fifties was also discovered in a restricted access zone of the forest massif. Inside his vehicle, law enforcement found a lighter as well as crumpled newspaper sheets, items that could be used to ignite materials.
Investigations are continuing in the Fontainebleau region in order to establish the precise cause of the fire and to discover any potential further accomplices. Local residents are expressing their indignation at these acts of malice which endanger lives and entire ecosystems.
Source: franceinfo
Source: Google News LU FR