The death toll from a fire last month at a Sicilian holiday farm rose to five on Thursday after another victim in the suspected arson case died in hospital from her injuries.
Barberina Maffolini, 88, suffered serious burns in the August 22 fire at the farm near Patti on the northern coast of Sicily.
Her daughter was one of three people killed during the blaze. Another victim, the farm's cook, died in hospital five days later.
Two shepherds are being held in connection with the fire, which left another 16 people injured.
Both men have a criminal record for a range of crimes including attempted murder.
Italy has seen one of its worst fire emergencies in decades this summer.
Over the past two months, the fires have claimed 13 lives and destroyed thousands of hectares of forest, woodland and coastal brush as well as dozens of properties.
Arsonists have been blamed in most cases and Premier Romano Prodi has called for "the greatest severity" in punishing "such unthinkable crimes".
Suspicion usually focuses on farmers seeking to clear space for agricultural purposes or land developers hoping to win permits for new constructions.
It is also believed that firefighters themselves and seasonal workers with the Forestry Corps, cleanup squads and reforestation programmes set fire to woods in the hope of creating new jobs.
Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema last week called for the creation of a European Union agency to coordinate firefighting activities in the event of major fire emergencies.
