Photos and video: A.A.H.
Firefighters put out the fire this Tuesday night that originated in a garden area with palm trees and dry branches in Playa Bastián, in the town of Costa Teguise. It was the neighbors who, alerted by the smoke entering the house, called the Lanzarote Emergency Consortium. As the mayor pointed out this Wednesday, "all indications" point to the fire being "provoked."
The fire started around 10:00 p.m. this Tuesday. Before the Consortium forces arrived, the neighbors began to put out the flames with hoses for fear that their house, whose terraces are made of wood, would burn down.
From the Emergency Consortium they explained that they went to this point on Avenida del Mar after being alerted by the Civil Guard that there had been a fire of several palm trees. Upon arrival, they were able to verify that "it was the fire of a dozen palm trees and street furniture." In addition, the glass of a nearby house was also affected. The firefighters extinguished the fire and later cut the palm leaves "that prevented pedestrians from passing."
"Everything indicates that it was provoked"
This Wednesday, the mayor stated that "all the indications" found so far point to the fire being "provoked." Oswaldo Betancort explained that "enough barbecue remains" and even a brazier were found in the area, which makes the security forces think that someone caused those flames, either intentionally or by not taking the necessary precautions.
According to Betancort on Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero, the troops will conclude the "analysis" and "expert reports" throughout this Wednesday to determine how that fire started, which was even about to reach a nearby house. The neighbors, alarmed by the flames and fearing that they would ignite their wooden terraces, began to extinguish them with their hoses even before the firefighters arrived.
"At night there is no sun that can cause a fire naturally through the glass, there are no high temperatures for it to occur. All indications lead us to believe that it has been produced," explained the mayor, who recalled that less than two months ago a very similar event occurred just 50 meters from that place.
"Logically, if it is provoked, we have to find the person who is doing this," said the mayor, stating that he "hopes" that the State security forces "act" if this is the case. "This is classified in the Penal Code," he stressed.
Betancort has "regretted" the event and has taken the opportunity to "call for citizen participation." He explained that there were also abundant "stubble" in the area. "What we have left over at home is thrown behind the wall," he lamented, emphasizing that there is a telephone number for the Environment department "not only for belongings, but also for stubble." "Please use it, be aware," he asked, while asking that if any neighbor "sees someone barbecuing in green areas or carrying out this type of action, call the Local Police because this cannot be." "It cannot be that on an island of dry land that lacks all kinds of trees this occurs."
