Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
A squatter from ALICANTE allegedly burned down a flat on the fifth floor, just days before he would be evicted by a court order.
The Policia Nacional arrested a 64-year old man in the Virgen Del Remedio neighborhood of the city.
Smoke inhalation caused two patients to require treatment.
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Authorities believe that the fire on Tuesday was deliberately started in anticipation of his eviction scheduled for early May.
The entire block was evacuated and the damage to the apartment was assessed as ‘significant’.
The Policia Nacional contacted the property owner who told them the squatter had lived there for ‘many years’ and had stopped paying rent- prompting the eviction order.
He said that the fire was intentionally started.
Neighbours confirmed that the ‘tenant’ had been involved in several previous incidents.
He wasn’t inside the building at the time of the fire, but was later detained when he returned on Tuesday to gain access.
On Thursday, the squatter had been scheduled to appear in court.
