Luxembourg resident in custody over Portugal fires

A Portuguese national living in Luxembourg is being held in police custody in Portugal on suspicion of helping set fires in his homeland.

The 28-year-old suspect is accused of having set the fires on August 20 along with a 20-year-old friend in the hills of Caramulo.

The fires spread turning into one large inferno which is believed to have claimed the lives of four firefighters with a further five suffering serious injuries.

The expatriate is thought to have voluntarily surrendered to the Portuguese authorities after his alleged partner in crime was arrested on August 31.

Judicial police sources have confirmed that the man appeared in court in Vouzela on Friday for several hours. It is believed that the suspect was motivated by revenge after receiving a fine for driving without a valid licence.