The Urban Guard of Barcelona arrested an illegal immigrant of Moroccan origin for his alleged connection to the Collserola forest fire, which affected about 54 hectares of forest land and prompted emergency measures to protect residents of several neighborhoods in the Catalan capital.
The arrest took place on Wednesday morning, after several witnesses identified the suspect as the person who allegedly intentionally set fire to several containers on Palamós street, near the location where the forest fire later started. According to police sources cited by Spanish media, the man was carrying several lighters when he was arrested.
The fire began on Tuesday afternoon near the Alta de les Roquetes road, in the Nou Barris district of Barcelona. The flames spread rapidly through the vegetation of the Collserola mountain range and forced authorities to deploy a significant emergency operation.
The proximity of the fire to residential areas led to the confinement of the Torre Baró and Ciutat Meridiana neighborhoods, a measure that affected around 14,000 people. Additionally, dozens of residents had to evacuate their homes as a precaution while firefighters worked to prevent the flames from reaching inhabited areas.
