The building on Via Emilia has burned to the ground. The signs of the flames are clear: the wreckage of the van, the burned flowers on the ground, and other nearby vehicles damaged. It's been a night of fear and fire in San Michele, where between Friday and Saturday a fire broke out in the parking lot of one of the municipal buildings, between the pilotis, eventually engulfing the entire building. Eight families were evacuated for safety reasons, but fortunately no one was injured. The truck of Christian Spiga, a 26-year-old florist who works at the San Michele cemetery, was targeted, struck precisely during the days dedicated to the commemoration of the dead. The Carabinieri, coordinated by the commander of the operational unit, Francesco Donvito, are investigating the incident to determine whether the fire was started intentionally or not.

The testimony

"At first I thought it was a short circuit, then they talked about an arson attack, but the investigation is still ongoing," said Christian Spiga, who despite yesterday's events still managed to work in the square of the San Michele cemetery.

"Fortunately, the company we use was able to give us a new shipment, showing us great solidarity," he emphasized. "We lost €15,000 worth of goods alone, plus the van and the adjacent vehicle, which my father used for storage." The young florist is inevitably shaken: " I didn't think there was so much cruelty in the world," he added. "I still can't believe it because I get along with everyone. We made so many sacrifices to reopen the business with my father, now we'll try to get back on our feet."

The alarm

According to initial reports, the fire on Via Emilia broke out around 3 a.m. Firefighters responded immediately to the scene, extinguishing the flames and securing the area. The eight families in the affected building were evacuated; ambulances also arrived to provide first aid and assistance. "I wasn't home; my mother called to tell me to come back right away," Christian Spiga explained. "I didn't think it was the van, but as soon as I got there, I saw everything."

"Luckily, there were no gas cylinders," said one of the residents. " I was awake, the firefighters evacuated us, and we saw the flames reach the top floor of the building. It was terrible." The Carabinieri also intervened on Via Emilia to investigate. However, the military has not yet determined the cause of the fire.

Roberto Carta

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