The Minister of the Interior and Public Security, Carolina Tohá, highlighted the «compelling evidence» that the Public Ministry gathered to arrest this Friday the suspect of being the author of the megafire that killed 137 people and left 16 thousand victims in the first days of February in the communes of Viña del Mar, Valparaíso, Quilpué and Villa Alemana.
The subject has been identified as Francisco Mondaca Mella (22 years old), who for a year and a half has been working as volunteer of the 13th Placilla Fire Company, in the Port City. There, in fact, he was detained today by detectives from the Investigative Brigade of Crimes against the Environment (Bidema) of the Investigative Police, under instruction from the Valparaíso Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
«As on other occasions, we have asked for patience, for the community to understand that these complex investigations take time, but that we are going to speak with results,» said the national prosecutor, Angel Valenciaat a press point in Santiago with Tohá and the PDI high command.
The Minister Tohá I affirm that «There is compelling evidence, of a very varied type; it is not a concluded investigation, but it has taken a vital step in these hours«, for which he expressed his congratulations and thanks to the investigative teams «on behalf of all Chileans.»
Likewise, he guaranteed that «This is not going to be (only) an arrest, but the beginning of a process that ends with convictions and punishment for the homicidal act.» irresponsible act that was committed on February 2 when the fires started.
«Here there is police work, criminal investigation, there is a search for the rule of law to work, but what there is «First of all, it is an act of justice and reparation, with those who lost their lives, with their families, with those who lost all their property, their sources of work and struggle to this day to rebuild their lives.»
For this reason, the Secretary of State estimated that «this arrest and what is going to happen from here on is, in some way, support for this effort to move forward and recover some of the tranquility lost in that tragedy.»
Minister @Carolina_Toha of the @min_interiorGeneral Director Eduardo Cerna and National Prosecutor Ángel Valencia of @FiscaliadeChilereferred to the arrest of the alleged perpetrator of the mega fire recorded in February, in the Valparaíso region.
This, after investigation by the… pic.twitter.com/ey1lcrHd0H
— PDI Chile (@PDI_CHILE) May 24, 2024
📢National Prosecutor, Ángel Valencia, informed the citizens in #Santiago, regarding the arrest of a defendant for mega-fire in Greater Valparaíso. The pattern was made with @PDI_CHILE @min_interior @FiscaliadeChile The proceedings continue in full development in #Valparaiso pic.twitter.com/yyGkBlwBdk
— Valparaíso Regional Prosecutor’s Office (@FiscaliaRegionV) May 24, 2024
Regarding investigations of this type, Tohá maintained that «this result is not an isolated result: last year there were 85% fewer hectares burned and 15% fewer fires, but there were more arrests.» In that sense, «it is very important because something we need as a country is to be sure that there will not be an empire of impunity, but rather of justice.»
PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE RECONSTRUCTED ROUTE AND FOUND INCENDIARY ITEMS
Participating in the press conference were general director of the PDI, Eduardo Cernawho emphasized that the investigation managed to «establish behavioral patterns, geographic locations and movements» of the suspect.
From Valparaíso, the prosecutor Osvaldo Ossandón He explained that the investigation, of which he is in charge, «determined that this fire originated in the area near Route 68, in the sector of the Lago Peñuelas Natural Reserve, and that it was reported from there, as a result of the same active principle of fire and also the wind of the place».
«There were four sources, approximately, equidistant from each other, for the purposes of searching for the uncontrollability of the fire, which was what was finally achieved,» he said.
According to the investigation, the megafire, called Las Tablas Complex-Lake Peñuelas Reserve, began that February 2 in four points: in the sectors of The Taguas -formally detected at 11:55 a.m.-, Cheer up -at 12:00-, The island -at 12:06- and The tables -at 12:06-.
The pursuer explained that he initially requested judicial authorization to carry out «interceptions, surveillance, (review of) cameras, road identification, and finally We were able to reconstruct the route» that Mondaca Mella followed to light the fires.
With all this background, he got the Guarantee Court of Valparaíso to issue an arrest warrant, which was issued today in the aforementioned Fire Company, as well as the authorization to search the subject’s home, which allowed «the discovery of the elements with which this fire started.»
Prosecutor Ossandón pointed out that he is also investigating whether Mondaca could have participated in other fires.
The subject will be formalized this Saturday in the Buenos Aires Guarantee Court.
«WE CANNOT ALLOW IT TO TARGE THE FIRE FUNCTION»
«We are devastated,» It was the first reaction since Valparaíso Fire Department. «We have been serving the city for more than 170 years and we cannot allow this type of situation (…) it is terrible,» said Commander Vicente Maggiolo.
Later, the Valparaíso Fire Department declared itself «absolutely shocked» for this case through a statement, and added that «we trust in the investigation carried out by the Public Ministry, and it is in our greatest interest that the facts are completely clarified, for which we are at the disposal of the Prosecutor’s Office and the requirements it has.»
Along these lines, «the separation of duties of the volunteer involvedand the beginning of a internal investigation«, which will be in charge of Commander Maggiolo.
At the same time, he emphasizes that «this tragic and unfortunate fire left injured firefighters and losses of material from different Fire Departments, which is why as an institution we will become part of the respective judicial process as plaintiffs«.
Public statement from the Valparaíso Fire Department pic.twitter.com/Zm2Nd4OpbY
— Valparaíso Firefighters (@CBV1851) May 25, 2024
Meanwhile, the Minister Tohá stated that «it is important not to lose sight of the fact that the Fire Department is a fundamental institution in fighting fires, which operates based on volunteer work, and We cannot allow a case like this to tarnish the function it carries out and the recognition it has in Chilean society.«.
«Without a doubt, the analysis of the case will have to be carried out (…) but always taking care that it does not stain or weaken the function that the institution has,» he stated.
The Valparaíso Firefighters close their statement by emphasizing that the facts accused of the volunteer «they do not represent the values and purposes» of this institution.