Worker Detained for Alleged Responsibility in Forest Fire in La Cruz

A 24-year-old worker was detained on the afternoon of Monday, February 9, for his alleged responsibility in a forest fire registered in the commune of La Cruz, Valparaíso Region. The emergency required a large deployment of ground and aerial resources to prevent the fire from spreading to inhabited areas.

According to police information, the detainee was performing cutting work with an electric grinder on an adjacent property, used as a workshop, moments before the start of the incident. The worker himself acknowledged to Carabineros that he was carrying out this work on a plot contiguous to where the fire originated, without noticing the beginning of the flames.

Furthermore, security camera footage from the area would show that the tasks were being carried out precisely at the point where the fire is believed to have started. These details are part of the investigative proceedings. The individual was informed of the reason for his detention and refused to sign the documentation related to the reading of his rights and the verification of injuries.

The fire was reported around 17:20 hours on Avenida La Cruz, near number 235, following a radio alert received by Carabineros from the Communications Center (Cenco). Upon arriving at the scene, police personnel confirmed that the fire was out of control, affecting a large area of grassland and trees, with a risk of spreading to nearby homes.

Teams from the Municipality of La Cruz, Conaf brigades, and volunteers from the Fire Department worked to combat the flames, ultimately managing to control the emergency. The fire consumed approximately one hectare and required the deployment of three forest brigades, in addition to aerial support from three helicopters and three planes.

Conaf reported that the affected area corresponds to a vacant lot, composed of grassland and trees, and does not belong to protected wilderness areas. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.