A 19-year old firefighter has been charged with arson after allegedly deliberately lighting seven fires on the far south coast of New South Wales during October and November.
The man was reportedly seen sitting in a vehicle on Tuesday afternoon shortly before a fire broke out nearby, reports Eye Witness News. He was arrested shortly afterwards on Tuesday evening.
‘Police will allege in court that the man lit the fire and left the area before returning to respond to the fire as part of his duties as a volunteer firefighter,’ police said in a statement.
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Six people and numerous animals have been killed, hundreds of homes destroyed and more than 1.5 million hectares burnt across Australia since early October. New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said the man had been immediately relieved of his duties at the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSWRFS).
More than 1,800 firefighters were battling to subdue the wildfires, many of which were completely out of control and uncontained.
‘Our members will be rightly angry that the alleged actions of one individual can tarnish the reputation and hard work of so many,’ NSWRFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said. ‘This type of alleged behaviour is the ultimate betrayal of our own members, and of the broader community.’
Image: Facebook/New South Wales Rural Fire Service
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