PALERMO (ITALPRESS) – The Carabinieri of the San Lorenzo Company have executed a precautionary custody order in prison against a 26-year-old who must answer for negligent environmental disaster and negligent forest fire. The provision was issued by the investigating judge of the Court of Palermo. The suspect, according to what was ascertained by the investigators, would be responsible for the fire which on 24 July 2023 destroyed approximately 650 hectares (6.5 square kilometers) of vegetation, of which almost 600 fell within the “Capo Gallo” Oriented Nature Reserve . It was one of the most violent and destructive fires among those that gripped Palermo in those days, causing anomalous concentrations of dioxins and furans in the area. The investigation began thanks to the meticulous information activity of the Partanna Mondello station which allowed, among other things, the analysis of video footage from a camera by the Carabinieri of the Palermo Investigative Unit and therefore the reconstruction of the dynamics of the events.
The subsequent telephone and environmental interceptions, supported by the taking of witness statements and by traditional investigation methods carried out also thanks to the contribution of the Station’s soldiers, the Scientific Investigations Section and the Forestry colleagues of the Natura Anti-Crime Centre, revealed serious clues of guilt on the 26-year-old, already convicted, with a final sentence following a plea agreement in 2017, for damage following a fire, private violence and crimes relating to weapons and explosives, having thrown, in competition with others, “Molotov” bottles at an illegally occupied building. Furthermore, the technical investigations carried out by the Nature Anti-Crime Center and the Task Force of the Forest Fire Information Unit of the Forestry and Parks Protection Command, which the Army of The Carabinieri sent from Rome for the specific need, thanks to which the “fire start area” was identified and it was highlighted that the flames had destroyed the vegetation present, mainly made up of Mediterranean scrub, resulting in an irreversible alteration of the ecosystem – or in any case partially eliminateable, but only in a long time cycle and under onerous conditions – and caused damage to buildings, constructions and protected plant species. The 26-year-old had already been in prison since October last year under a precautionary measure because he was under investigation for mistreatment of his partner and the latter’s 3-year-old son. – Carabinieri press office photo – (ITALPRESS). vbo/com 05-Jun-24 11:52 .
