Teen arrested over Bordeaux forest fire that killed two firefighters

A 15-year-old has been detained in France on suspicion of starting a blaze near Bordeaux airport that trapped and killed two firefighters on July 21.

Teen held in juvenile detention over fatal Bordeaux blaze

French authorities have detained a 15-year-old suspected of starting the forest fire that killed two firefighters near Bordeaux airport on July 21, the Jamaica Observer reported, citing AFP and a source close to the investigation.

The two firefighters died when their truck became trapped by flames from a fire they were battling in western France. The teenager has been formally placed under investigation and remanded in juvenile detention, the source said.

The deaths, together with that of a volunteer firefighter killed while fighting a separate blaze in southeast France, prompted sharp criticism from French firefighter unions, who argue they lack the resources needed to tackle the growing number of wildfires across the country this year.

Representatives of nine unions met Interior Minister Laurent Nunez on Thursday. They said the commitments he offered were insufficient and threatened industrial action in September.

As a fresh heatwave gripped much of France, firefighters were again battling multiple forest fires across the country on Thursday.

Source: Jamaica Observer