A 59 -year -old from Taormina was arrested by the carabinieri for theFire of vast proportions that developed on 25 and 26 July 2023, in the areas of Taormina, Castelmola and Letojanni, whose flames, which exceeded the height, affecting a total extension of 234 hectares.
The flames had destroyed and caused large damage to crops and forest areas. The fire had caused damage, as well as buildings present in the land, also of parts that touched the A18 motorway, with the momentary interruption of the motorway section between Roccalumera and Taormina.
The man on July 25 would have triggered the fire to burn the land to regenerate new grass and exploit them thus for the pasture, even if the funds were not owned but only neighboring the possessions.
In particular, the suspect would have invited various breeders to conduct his cattle in the areas in question, starting negotiations to “grant” the same – although without any title – in exchange for sums of money for thousands of euros.
The man allegedly boasted the availability of the land and actually behaving as a master of the same – to the detriment of the legitimate owners – he would have exercised a real dominance on the area for the sole purpose of set fire to them and turn them into areas suitable for grazingin order to rely on payment to the holders of farms.
In particular, the fire of July 2023 had been triggered in the municipality of Taormina, in an area that included An entire hill where plots of land were present with attractive crops of private individuals, including olive trees. As emerged from the investigation, during the fire -stick operations, the flames had spread so quickly that the suspect would not have been able to move his truck, which was destroyed, with two rifles that were inside. In fact, the winds had suffered that day changes of direction and intensity, causing the very rapid propagation of the flames that in a short time had affected all the surrounding areasmaking the shutdown operations by the Regional Forestry Corps and Fire Brigade particularly expensive.
On the days of 25 and 26 July 2023, the commitment of the forces on the field in the area for fire -fighting activity had been remarkable, also in the consideration that, in addition to the fire in question, other incendiary episodes that had affected other municipalities had then occurred.
The stop for forest fire was performed by the Taormina carabinieri who carried out an ordinance that has the pre -trial detention in prison. The investigations were coordinated by the Messina prosecutor.
The man had already been arrested on March 13 as part of a vain investigation by the DDA of Messina for extortion aggravated by the aim of facilitating a mafia association.