That’s how a Chilean arsonist and a partner in his platoon acted to start a megafire in Valparaiso that killed 137 people.

(From Santiago, Chile) Unfortunate February 2 In the past, the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred) announced Red alert In the Valparaiso area. The thermometer was 27.7 degrees and the wind speed exceeded 22 kmph. Francisco Montaga, Volunteer Firefighter, and Franco PintoA former brigadier of the National Forestry Corporation (KONAF), who was in charge of fighting the fires that ravaged Chile precisely that summer, knew well what the conditions were. advantageous So Any fire will spread.

“As Francisco said, (Franco) would have told him that it was the right time, that the weather was right, and that they decided to light the fire. Before starting it, Francisco calls Franco and tells him: OK,” the lawyer said. Osvaldo Osandon According to the BBCL Investica report, this Saturday’s hearing against the two defendants.

After its formalization, the accused came in Detention Jail And they were transferred to Santiago 1 prison “Direct Fraud” and rejected defense attempts to impute them “Wrongful Death” After what happened, the ideal conditions for a fire of such magnitude and the resulting consequences, Loss of human life.

In the first phase of the process, Montaga was sued Subject teacher Four sources of fire, while Pinto A wise teacher.

During the investigation, the public ministry accused them “Deadly Fire”According to the company, which continues, “Effectively Acknowledged.” They also noted that the wildfire offense also states, “If the original fire was reported to buildings or areas where people were informed, it effectively carries a greater penalty.” Imprisonment for life.”

After four months On investigation, we were able to establish that the Public Ministry was present on that day Four spotlights. Two of them were extinguished by Konaf and firefighters, but the rest – merged into one – destroyed more than 8 thousand hectares and claimed lives. 137 people and left 16 thousand people are affected.

The same craftsman trick was used in all the lamps: Cigarettes attached to matches. When Montaga was arrested, the investigating police made the same discovery in his house.

Four fire centers were connected by a track 6.2 kilometersBeginning in the sector of the commune of Casablanca, Las Daguas, and continuing to the commune of Valparaíso, Las Tablas.

The first explosion occurred on Route 68 between 11:49 and 11:51 hours. Konoff and firefighters arrived on the scene nine minutes later They controlled Around 12:38 p.m.

was in the second part Animitas On the F-718 route, between 11:51 and 11:54. Emergency personnel showed up at 12:24 p.m He was able to control it.

It was located in the third field Island On the same track. About two kilometers from the previous point. It was from 11:55 to 11:57.

A fourth focus was Tables, commune of Valparaíso. 1.9 kilometers from the third. It was estimated to have started between 11:57 and 12:01 hours.

The last two were “Uncontrollable and Uncontrollable”. Then the wind did its thing, destroying vast areas Valparaiso, Vina del Mar and Quilpué.

On the same day, at noon, the Valparaiso Environmental Crimes and Investigations Police Site inspection Where did the fire come from? It was in Focus 3 that the first major clue was found: a cigarette with 10 matches attached.

That artifact was key to everything that came after. To begin with, because they decided it was a throwaway mechanism. No need to stop to install it.

“You light a cigarette in the traditional way, throw it away, and then Cigarettes are naturally consumed. And sometimes there is gunpowder decomposition of matches,” explained the lawyer. Claudia Perivancich.

PDI conducted 32 tests simulating the same cigarette wrapped in matches. And with that they proved it 96.9% In most cases, it burns and burns the things around it. Everything, average Five minutes and 26 seconds.

“The conclusion of this view of policing is that it is a very artisanal mechanism, but very basic, easy to implement. Very useful (…) If a device of this nature is used in large numbers, it will cause decomposition, ignition and burning of the materials found in the place,” the follower concluded.

Once the security cameras confirm the hours The beginning of the spotlightsPolice started checking all vehicles plying on Route 718 Two kilometers A handmade device was thrown at approx. So, there it was Impossible A few minutes after it started, someone was walking by between one and the other.

Thanks to this analysis, we were able to identify all the cars that had passed since 11:40 a.m., a total of 32. In that range, Only two agreed With four focused lanes. There was one Suzuki By Francisco Mondaca.

In simple terms, Montaga is late 5 minutes 22 seconds In covering the entire distance from ignition points. I mean, I was going at a speed of 73 kmph.

When he was done with four lights, he returned at full speed – 134 km / h – to the headquarters of the 13th Blazilla Fire Company. there, He returned to his barracks as if nothing had happened.

Inside his white Suzuki were 14 home-made burning and 10 unauthorized crackers.

The base’s antennae said Montaga was there at 11:50, five minutes before the fire started in the first explosion. “Start time is essential,” says the prosecution. They also confirmed that he called Franco Pinto.

“Actually, that antenna indicates the location of the location, meaning that not only was a call received, but the subject was physically on the phone, so it doesn’t make sense that it could be a call received from somewhere else,” the prosecution said.

Four lights correspond to calls and images captured by cameras.

Although they did not elaborate further during the investigation, the prosecutor’s office did not provide any less important information: of the last 15 fires that occurred in Penulas, Francisco Montaga was on the scene in 7.

Faced with an avalanche of evidence, the arsonist finally confessed Four months ago The fire was caused by Franco Pinto, who worked as a member of the Konaf Brigade in the Penulas Reserve in the Valparaiso region.

“That tells him something Fire is boring Because it was LittleYou have to use that type of mechanism to start a fire,” said lawyer Osanton.

After four months he taught him the trick of making cigars tied to usable matches. And he told him in the season of fire Hire an extra person and pay them overtime.

In February, La Tercera revealed that Pinto earned a total salary of $785,779, representing 57.33 overtime hours per employee. $420,479 (USD 470).