Canneto di Caronia fires
{{Short description|Series of fires in Sicily, Italy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
In 2004–2005, there was a series of unusual fires in Canneto di Caronia, Sicily (Italy). Although popular speculation ascribed the fires to paranormal events or secret military technology, official investigations concluded that the fires were cases of arson.{{cite web |url=http://www.ecodisicilia.com/canneto-di-caronia-me-gli-incendi-opera-degli-uomini.htm |title=Canneto di Caronia (Me): gli incendi? Opera degli uomini |date=12 June 2008 |website=ecodisicilia.com |language=Italian |trans-title=Caronia (Me): fires? Opera men |type=webpage |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919080841/http://www.ecodisicilia.com/canneto-di-caronia-me-gli-incendi-opera-degli-uomini.htm |archive-date=2008-09-19 |url-status=dead |access-date=10 October 2015 }}{{Cite news|url=https://magazine.atavist.com/when-the-devil-enters|title=A Decade of Mysterious Fires in a Sicilian Village|date=2016-11-15|newspaper=The Atavist Magazine|access-date=2016-12-18}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/english/news/general_news/2015/03/05/setter-of-sicily-mystery-fires-arrested_1098adb5-48d3-42f5-92d6-01702624eec3.html|title=Setter of Sicily mystery fires arrested - English|date=2015-03-05|newspaper=ANSA.it|access-date=2016-12-18}}
2003–04 events
Canneto di Caronia is a village in Sicily, home to roughly 150 people.
Events began on 23 December 2003, at Antonino Pezzino's home on Via Mare; Pezzino's television reportedly exploded.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/24/world/canneto-di-caronia-journal-electricity-goes-wild-did-the-devil-make-it-do-it.html|title=Canneto di Caronia Journal; Electricity Goes Wild. Did the Devil Make It Do It?|first=Al|last=Baker|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 24, 2004}} Similar malfunctions reportedly affected fuse boxes, air conditioners, kitchen appliances, computers, and electronic car door locks. Fires were also said to have struck wedding presents and a piece of furniture. At least one person was said to have observed an unplugged electrical cable ignite while he was directly observing it.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1567428/Aliens-caused-Sicily-fires-say-officials.html|title=Aliens caused Sicily fires, say officials|first=Nick|last=Pisa|date=October 26, 2007|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}
On 9 February 2004, two houses on Via Mare burned. In response, Mayor Spinnato issued an order evacuating the 39 residents of Via Mare from their homes to the town's only hotel.{{in lang|it}} {{cite web |url=http://www.ecodisicilia.com/canneto-di-caronia-me-gli-incendi-opera-degli-uomini.htm |title=Canneto di Caronia (Me): gli incendi? Opera degli uomini |date=12 June 2008 |website=ecodisicilia.com |language=Italian |trans-title=Caronia (Me): fires? Opera men |type=webpage |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919080841/http://www.ecodisicilia.com/canneto-di-caronia-me-gli-incendi-opera-degli-uomini.htm |archive-date=2008-09-19 |url-status=dead |access-date=10 October 2015 }} ENEL, the Italian power utility, cut power to the town, but fires continued.{{Cite web|url=https://magazine.atavist.com/when-the-devil-enters|title=A Decade of Mysterious Fires in a Sicilian Village|date=November 15, 2016|website=The Atavist Magazine}} From January through to March, 92 fires were reported.
On 11 February, an investigation was announced by the local prosecutor. On 16 March, fires resumed, and investigators reportedly witnessed malfunctions in compasses, electronic car locks, and cell phones.
In April, the government formed an interdisciplinary research group, coordinated by Francesco Venerando Mantegna from the Sicilian Protezione Civile. That team reportedly had widespread cooperation from the nation's armed forces, police, as well as utilities. Venerando's team reported anomalous 'electromagnetic activity', unexplained lights, and a helicopter that experienced allegedly-anomalous rotor damage. Scientists from the National Research Institute (CNR), with the support of NASA physicists, were also involved in investigating the events.
In June 2004, residents were returned to their homes on Via Mare.
Explanations for the events have ranged from the mundane to the paranormal. Public speculation attributed the events to poltergeists, demons, or UFOs.{{Cite web |url=http://www.wwrn.org/article.php?idd=14726&sec=39&con=52 |title=WorldWide Religious News: "Devil in the detail of Sicily's mysterious village fires" |access-date=2011-08-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608034151/http://www.wwrn.org/article.php?idd=14726&sec=39&con=52 |archive-date=2008-06-08 |url-status=dead }}{{in lang|it}} [http://www.cicap.org/new/articolo.php?id=274371 Article] on CICAP website citing the Canneto fires In 2007 it was proposed that the phenomena were caused by intermittent electromagnetic emissions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1567428/Aliens-caused-Sicily-fires-say-officials.html|title=Aliens caused Sicily fires, say officials|date=26 October 2007 }} On 24 June 2008, following further investigation by the appointed experts, the case was dismissed by the prosecutor of Mistretta. The conclusion of the consultants was that the fires were arson cases.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ecodisicilia.com/canneto-di-caronia-me-gli-incendi-opera-degli-uomini.htm |title=Canneto di Caronia (Me): gli incendi? Opera degli uomini |access-date=2014-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103040017/http://www.ecodisicilia.com/canneto-di-caronia-me-gli-incendi-opera-degli-uomini.htm |archive-date=2009-01-03 |url-status=dead }}
2014–15 events
Mysterious fires returned in mid-2014.{{Cite web|url=https://mysteriousuniverse.org/2014/10/mysterious-spontaneous-combustions-return-to-sicilian-city/|title=Mysterious Spontaneous Combustions Return to Sicilian City | Mysterious Universe|website=mysteriousuniverse.org}}
On 5 March 2015, police arrested and charged Giuseppe Pezzino, 26, with arson, conspiracy to commit fraud, and sounding a false alarm in association with the mysterious fires. His father, Antonino Pezzino, has also been implicated. The Italian military police had installed hidden cameras in the streets after the fires started again in July 2014. Video captured about 40 incidents implicating Giuseppe (and occasionally, Antonino). Further evidence was gathered by phone taps.
In popular culture
The fires were featured in the US television program The Unexplained Files. In 2019, the fires were featured on the program Unidentified: Inside America's UFO Investigation.Unidentified: Inside America's UFO Investigation, Ep. 6 The Revelation