Firefighters suspected of setting fires for money

Police in Sicily say 15 firefighters are suspected of setting blazes that they were then called to extinguish.

The Mediterranean island in summer is often by plagued by arson fires.

Police in Ragusa, Sicily, said yesterday that the head of a firefighting squad was put under house arrest and the others under investigation. Auxiliary firefighters like them receive £9.05 per hour from the government to fight fires.

Police said fire department officials tipped authorities off that one team of auxiliaries was called out far more often than others to work in summer 2013 and 2014.

The ANSA news agency said some are also suspected of calling in false alarms. Italian media report that most of the 15 detained in Ragusa have admitted starting fires deliberately.