A 50-year-old woman has been detained by the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) for allegedly committing an act of forest arson, which occurred on Monday evening in the parish of Segadães, Águeda, located in the district of Aveiro.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the PJ explained that the fire was “set using direct flame in an area of extensive forest cover, in close proximity to several residences”.
“Thanks to the prompt detection and intervention by locals and firefighters, the fire did not escalate significantly,” the statement continued, further noting that in this “particular area, numerous other suspicious fire outbreaks have been combated recently”.
The PJ also noted that “no rational motivation or plausible explanation could be determined for the actions being investigated, with the suspect operating under a severe psychiatric imbalance,” displaying a “tendency for incendiary behavior”.
The detained individual is set to appear before judicial authorities for an initial court hearing and the application of appropriate preventive measures.
