The Urban Guard of Barcelona arrested a man identified by witnesses as the alleged responsible for burning containers near the location where the fire started, which forced the evacuation of homes and confined thousands of residents
Civil Protection issued ES-Alert alerts to warn citizens of the situation and ask them to remain in their homes or follow the instructions of emergency services. Authorities also restricted access to certain areas and closed several roads to facilitate the movement of firefighting teams.
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.
The Barcelona Firefighters and the Generalitat deployed nearly 200 personnel, along with aerial and ground resources. The fire was finally brought under control after affecting 54 hectares, although emergency teams continued to work to prevent flare-ups and secure the perimeter.
The detained immigrant was brought before a judge and, according to the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia, exercised his right not to testify and was released, although he remains under investigation for the damage caused to the containers.
The case has generated particular concern due to the magnitude of the fire and because it is the second fire recorded in Collserola during August. Authorities continue monitoring efforts while investigators seek to establish the exact circumstances that caused the fire.
