An Octogenarian Admits to Causing Wildfires in Okcheon and Yeongdong: "My Hands Were Cold"

After clearing weeds in the field, set fire to weed pile with a lighter
A to be summoned for detailed investigation
To be formally charged with accidental fire under the Forest Protection Act

On the 23rd of last month, a suspect who started a wildfire in Okcheon, Chungbuk, which spread to Yeongdong, admitted to starting the fire because his hands were cold.

According to Yonhap News, on the afternoon of the 1st, the Okcheon-gun Forest Department's special judicial police inspected the scene at the suspect A's field in Jocheon-ri, Cheongseong-myeon, the initial ignition point, and received a written confession containing this information from A.

Wildfire in Jocheon-ri, Okcheon. Chungbuk Fire Headquarters

A stated, "After clearing weeds in the field, I lit a lighter on the weed pile," and this was confirmed as his admission.

Okcheon-gun also found traces of someone setting fires at one or two other nearby locations around the ignition point and asked A if he was responsible, but he reportedly denied those allegations.

Okcheon-gun plans to summon A for a precise investigation based on the written confession and the forest authorities' on-site inspection results, and formally book him on charges of arson under the Forest Protection Act.

Earlier, at around 11:55 a.m. on the 23rd of last month, a fire broke out on a hill in Jocheon-ri, Okcheon-gun. The fire spread to a hill in Busang-ri, Yongsan-myeon, Yeongdong-gun, burning approximately 40 hectares of forest.

A tried to extinguish the fire himself but suffered a first-degree burn on his hand. While being transported by ambulance, he admitted to the paramedics that he accidentally started the fire while burning trash.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.