French authorities on Friday held a fireman from the south of France accused of being behind a collection of wildfires within the area which he says he began in a quest for adrenaline.
The person, a volunteer fireman from the Herault area, was arrested on Wednesday, regional prosectors mentioned.
The case of the person dubbed in media because the “pyromaniac fireman” has sparked a eager curiosity in France, which was shocked by a swathe of wildfires in final week’s heatwave that compelled the evacuation of 1000’s of individuals.
Montpellier prosecutor Fabrice Belargent mentioned in an announcement that the person had admitted beginning fires with a lighter on Might 26, July 21 and most lately over the night time of July 26-27.
“Requested about his motive, he declared that he had completed this with a purpose to provoke an intervention by the fireplace brigade to save lots of him from an oppressive household setting and due to the thrill these interventions precipitated him,” mentioned Belargent.
“Adrenaline he referred to as it — these are his personal phrases,” mentioned the prosecutor. “He additionally mentioned he had a necessity for social recognition.”
Including to the irony, the complete time job of the person, who has not been recognized by title however is in his 30s, was a forester with stopping fires one in every of his main obligations.
His lawyer Marie Bar instructed BFM TV that below questioning the person had “expressed very robust remorse and above all a powerful sentiment of disgrace”.
She confirmed he had been remanded in custody by an investigating choose forward of trial.
“He apologised to the…. firemen who he works with as he calls them his massive household. That is somebody who may be very dedicated to his work,” she mentioned.
“He finds it onerous to elucidate. In a manner he’s relieved to have been arrested. He explains it as an dependancy.”
If convicted, he faces as much as 15 years in jail and a 150,000 euro ($153,000) advantageous.
“It’s disgusting to have throughout the organisation one of these particular person,” former hearth brigade colonel Ludovic Pinganaud instructed BFM, including that out of 200,000 volunteer fireman in France there have been simply “some sick individuals” hooked on fires.
