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FIRE

German firestarter blames blaze on ‘toilet paper mishap’

A 27-year-old German man blamed for starting a wildfire that caused the death of a park ranger on the Canary Island of La Palma said he was trying to burn used toilet paper.

German firestarter blames blaze on 'toilet paper mishap'
Flames encroach on the town of El Paso. Photo: AFP

The man told police that he had attempted to burn toilet paper used after he defecated off a forest trail in a nature park but quickly sparked a blaze.

“He said that it was an accident caused when sparks from the burning toilet paper caught dry vegetation,” said a source from the investigation, as reported La Razon.

READ MORE: Hundreds evacuated as forest fire rages on Canary Island

The unnamed man, who reportedly lives in a cave on the island, was arrested by a Civil Guard patrol who discovered him walking along the road as they went to the scene once the forest fire alarm was raised.

The fire claimed the life of a 54-year-old official working for the Canary Islands Environmental Department on Thursday morning as teams battled to control the flames.

He was named as Francisco José Santana, father of five from Telde.

Some 700 residents were evacuated from their homes as a precaution as the blaze threatened to engulf residential areas around the town of El Paso on the western-most isle of the archipelago.

The inferno had already destroyed an estimated 1,000 hectares by Thursday afternoon as firefighting teams battled to bring it under control.

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