JESI Yesterday afternoon a large fire touched the entrance to the city of Jesi, sending traffic into a tailspin and putting numerous homes on alert. It was a column of thick, black smoke, which rose around 2pm in the Ponte Pio area, that triggered the alarm among the residents: the flames, which developed in a field cultivated with cereals along Via Baldeschi Baleani, were threatening the homes. Dozens of calls to 112.
The deployment of forces
The firefighters of the local detachment, assisted by the team of the provincial command of Ancona and that of Arcevia, rushed to the scene with sirens blaring: seven vehicles used in the firefighting operations, also supported by the Dos (Director of firefighting operations) and by the technical officer of the fire brigade. In a few minutes the flames, fanned by the wind, engulfed 15 hectares of land, threatening not only the houses but also the road. The traffic, intense in those hours, was promptly stopped in both directions at the Via Roma roundabout. Local police officers, carabinieri and local civil protection volunteers were on site. An inferno of fire, the now high flames were advancing rapidly. The Municipality immediately activated the COC (Municipal Operations Center), while in the field a farmer tried to isolate the fire by working the wheat with a plow. When the attempt failed, to put out the fire it was necessary to alert the Drago 124 fire brigade helicopter of the Arezzo flight department which carried out several drops of water. The imminent danger forced the evacuation of a house in via Baldeschi Baleani, numerous ones alerted in via Spina which was reached by a garrison of the Green Cross of Jesi. However, no one was injured or injured. The mayor Lorenzo Fiordelmondo arrived in Ponte Pio around 4pm to personally check the situation, shortly afterwards he was also joined by the mayor of the neighboring Monte Roberto, Lorenzo Focante, and by the Commander of the Local Police Cristian Lupidi. The firefighting and clean-up operations continued throughout the evening, while traffic was restored only after 8pm.
The investigations
The Forestry Carabinieri have opened an investigation into the crime of negligent forest fire, as the flames touched the riparian vegetation along the banks of the Esino River. In fact, it seems that the fire may have started following a spark caused by an agricultural vehicle, a combine harvester, while working in the field. The driver, a 49-year-old local man, was identified and reported.
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