Alex Trelinski
A DISGRUNTLED sacked ex-firefighter has been accused of starting seven fires in the Selva and Caimari areas of Mallorca.
He had caused great alarm to local residents after blazes started on farmland and woodland areas, with authorities clear from the start that they they were cases of arson.
The Guardia Civil had their sights on the 61-year-old man for over a fortnight and recently took a statement from him to find out why he was always happened to be the same person who called emergency services about the fires breaking out.
On Monday afternoon, emergency teams were alerted to a blaze that had started in Caimari.
The proximity of the fire to several properties forced the Selva Policia Local and Guardia Civil to evacuate the occupants.
What the arsonist did not know was that his actions were being monitored from the air by a drone and a large police cordon was set up to arrest him.
The drone recorded the exact moment when he struck on a farm and tried to escape on a motorcycle.
When he was detained, he was said to be seriously drunk and in possession of several lighters and accelerants.
The man had worked for the Ibanat brigade specialising in forest and land fires but was dismissed for undisclosed reasons and became a bricklayer.
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