Fire chief suspended after allegedly trying to set shed on fire

A fire officer has been suspended from duty after being accused of trying to start a fire in a storage shed, local media reported.

The suspect was spotted by neighbours in Katwijk, Zuid-Holland, as he tried to set the fire on Friday evening. They alerted police, who arrested the man later in the evening.

Police would not confirm reports about the suspect’s identity, but local mayor Nathanaël Middelkoop wrote in an email to party leaders at the weekend that a commander with the fire service had been suspended by the regional safety council.

“Arson is at odds with the core values of our organisation and the fire service’s mission to protect lives and property,” the safety council VRHM said in a statement.

“This situation has had a huge impact and is very difficult for the team concerned and the entire organisation.”

In the e-mail, which was obtained by local news organisation Omroep West, the mayor stressed that the man was “only a suspect and the investigation is continuing.”

Police said a man had been questioned on Saturday in connection with the attempted arson, but have still not confirmed his identity and have urged people in the area to stop sharing videos and images online.