Suspect arrested for causing fire in Maia

A man who allegedly caused a fire in a natural heritage area in the municipality of Maia, in the district of Porto, was arrested on Friday, the Judicial Police (PJ) announced today.

The investigating police indicated that the suspect, aged 68, had caused the fire in a natural heritage area, Matas Nacionais, in Avioso, creating danger to a “significant forest area, as well as to several buildings” , namely in an industrial park installed on the edge of the forest area, according to a statement.

The fire was caused “using a direct flame” .

The suspect, who was arrested outside of flagrant crime, “is believed to have caused the fire (…) allegedly in retaliation against an unknown person who had threatened to attack him, in order to prevent him from visiting that same area”, reads the PJ statement.

With no criminal record, the man was present at the first judicial interrogation, and a “non-custodial coercive measure” was applied to him.