79-year-old man arrested for forest fire in Ponte de Lima
The Judicial Police arrested a 79-year-old man suspected of starting a forest fire in Calheiros, Ponte de Lima, on 4 September. The fire was started with matches and threatened fields, forest and homes.
Arrested in Ponte de Lima suspected of starting fire with matches
The Judicial Police arrested a 79-year-old man, resident in the parish of Calheiros, municipality of Ponte de Lima, suspected of having started a forest fire on 4 September, according to policiajudiciaria.pt.
The arrest, made outside of flagrant delict, was carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department of Braga in collaboration with the Republican National Guard. The investigative steps, initiated immediately after the case was reported to the Judicial Police, made it possible to gather probative evidence pointing to the suspect as the author of the fire.
According to the investigation, the fire was started by direct flame, using matches, in a rural area, in the middle of the afternoon, on a hot, dry day with strong wind. The atmospheric conditions aggravated the risk of spread to neighbouring agricultural areas, to the adjacent forest cover and to several homes in the locality.
The suspect is believed to have acted for reasons of a personal nature, whilst being aware that his conduct was prohibited by law and constituted imminent danger to nature, populations and property of third parties.
The detainee was brought before the competent authority on Thursday for initial judicial questioning and the application of precautionary measures.
Source: Google News PT — Crime (pt)