A Syrian citizen is suspected of setting fire to two houses in the city of Essen (North Rhine-Westphalia) in western Germany.
"Fires broke out in two residential buildings in the Altenessen district on Saturday evening. The vehicle also crashed into two shops in the district of Katernberg”, Essen police said in a statement. The suspect was detained near the scene of the incident. “It is about a 41-year-old resident of Essen with Syrian citizenship”, the police specified.
„The Criminal Police has taken over the investigation and is establishing whether there is a connection between the crimes,”, the announcement said. The specific motives for the incident have not yet been established.
Fires occur one after the other. Firefighters managed to extinguish the fire. 30 people were injured, including 8 children.