Concepción Court Orders Nighttime House Arrest and National Travel Ban for Suspect in Mega Fire Incident

Original article: Concepción: Decretan arresto domiciliario nocturno y arraigo nacional para imputado por megaincendio

The Guarantee Court of Concepción has placed Claudio Andrés Luna Muñoz under partial nighttime house arrest and imposed a national travel ban following allegations from the Public Ministry, which accuses him of having committed the crime of forest fire, along with 20 counts of manslaughter, 14 counts of serious and minor injuries, and property damage related to the incidents that occurred on Saturday, January 17.

During the formal hearing (case number 636-2026), Judge Carlos Aguayo Dolmestch rejected the prosecution’s request to impose preventive detention on the accused. The judge reasoned that the responsibility for maintaining the cabin and stove, which was used as a kitchen, cannot be attributed to him, as he was hired by his employer only a few days prior to the incident without receiving any instructions or recommendations.

Furthermore, the judge noted that the evidence presented by the Public Ministry does not indicate that the accused, who has no prior criminal record and has cooperated with the investigation, attempted to flee.

The court has set a six-month period for the investigation in this case.

The Events

According to the prosecution, at approximately 3:10 PM on January 17, 2026, Claudio Luna Muñoz used a stove adapted as a makeshift kitchen in the cabin where he serves as the caretaker of the Don Pablo estate, located in the El Pino area of Concepción, at kilometer 17 on Route O-680.

This makeshift kitchen lacked a spark arrestor and a hood on the external chimney. Consequently, while in use by the accused, it ignited the abundant vegetation nearby, rapidly spreading to a forest covering a hillside of a nearby mountain. The slope and prevailing winds facilitated the spread of embers in a northeastern direction, reaching the Trinitarias estate of Forestal Arauco, approximately 2.25 kilometers from the original site, and subsequently advancing uncontrollably northward into the communes of Penco and Tomé.

As a result of this fire, the Prosecutor’s Office reported that «a mega fire was generated, resulting in 20 fatalities, 14 individuals with serious and minor injuries, and affecting a total of 9,000 homes, 22,772 hectares of forest plantations, native forest, scrubland, grasslands, constructions, vehicles, and animals.»

This news is developing.