Wildfires: 89-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of negligent arson

A woman aged 89 appeared before Estarreja Judicial Court yesterday, following her arrest the day before ‘on suspicion of negligent arson’.

According to GNR police, the elderly citizen had been burning forestry debris when the fire ‘got out of control’, and went on to burn an area of around 1,500 square metres of scrubland.

No obvious damage was caused, albeit the blaze required the prompt attention of the local fire brigade.

Quite why an example had to be made of such a senior citizen lies with the GNR agents in question, whose statement refers to “a box of matches used to ignite the fire that caused the blaze” also being ‘seized’ during the arrest.

Suffice it to say, the 89-year-old’s ordeal came to an end with then court ordered a provisional suspension of the proceedings.

Source material: Lusa

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.