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Ex regional councillor could be held accountable for Guadalajara forest fire
By m.p. - Jan 31, 2008 - 11:21 PM
ALSO SEE : • Man arrested for accidentally starting the La Gomera fire - Apr 28, 2008 - 5:46 PM
• One last front remains on fire affecting La Gomera and threatening the Garajonay National Park - Apr 28, 2008 - 8:01 AM

The aftermath of the tragic forest fire in Guadalajara in 2005 which killed 11 people. Archive photo – EFE.
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Eleven people lost their lives when fire razed 13,000 hecatres in Castilla-La Mancha in the summer of 2005
The tragic forest fire which killed eleven firefighters and razed an area of almost 13,000 hectares in Guadalajara province in July 2005 could have serious consequences for the person who was environmental chief with the Castilla-La Mancha regional government at the time. An instruction court in Sigüenza has ruled there is evidence that Rosario Arévalo may be guilty of serious negligence.

Judge María del Mar Lorenzo said there were serious deficiencies in controlling the use of barbecues and their vigilance, an absence of specific adequate measures, and also noted defects in Castilla-La Mancha’s forest fire plan, both in its implementation and in its control.

The fire on 16th July 2005 was started by a spark from a barbecue.

Almost three years after the tragedy, there is now a list of 26 suspects, most of them high ranking members of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government. The others include the environmental chief in Guadalajara province, Sergio David González, the ex director of the Alto Tajo Natural Park, Rafael Ruiz López, and José Luis Samper, who was Mayor at the time of the village where the fire started, la Riba de Saelices.

Rosario Arévalo is no longer with the regional government and is currently, El Mundo said, environment director with the state-owned company Enusa, which supplies fuel to nuclear power stations. Her status as a former member of the regional government means any court action taken against her would fall to the Castilla-La Mancha High Court of Justice, the TSJCLM.


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ALSO SEE :
• Man arrested for accidentally starting the La Gomera fire - Apr 28, 2008 - 5:46 PM
• One last front remains on fire affecting La Gomera and threatening the Garajonay National Park - Apr 28, 2008 - 8:01 AM
• Car insurers sign payout agreement for Mijas forest fire - Mar 25, 2008 - 8:45 PM
• Lightning strike starts forest fire in Jumilla - Mar 24, 2008 - 6:30 PM
• Only suspect in worst fire ever suffered in Andalucía claims new witnesses - Mar 6, 2008 - 7:09 PM
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• Car insurers to pay cost of Mijas 2001 forest fire - Dec 4, 2007 - 9:33 PM
• Level 1 alert as forest fire breaks out in Moya, in the North of Gran Canaria - Nov 8, 2007 - 10:28 PM
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• Forest fire breaks out in Tarragona - Sep 7, 2007 - 8:26 AM