A man suspected of starting a fire near the Encosta do Cemitério Novo in Caniço was detained by local workers and handed over to the PSP (Public Security Police). The individual had reportedly expressed an intention to set fire to the vegetation shortly before the incident.
The arrest in the act sparked social media comments, with some deeming the situation unusual for Madeira and suggesting that perpetrators of fires are rarely caught in the act.
However, a review of regional press archives reveals previous instances. Similar cases of in-flagrante delicto arrests for suspected arson or setting fires were reported in 2004 (Porto Santo), 2006 (Forest Guard), 2007 (Calheta), and 2010 (Canical).
