IPolice are still looking for suspects in an apartment building allegedly set on fire in Solingen that left four dead. On Friday, the man who was temporarily detained was released. Prosecutor Heribert Kaune-Gebhardt told the German Press Agency that the man was released after a long interrogation after his alibi was verified and confirmed. There is “no reasonable doubt” of the crime. According to the information, the man was initially detained after the interview of an eyewitness.
Kaune-Gebhardt said the investigation will now continue “with an open mind in all directions”. “Every lead is being investigated,” the spokesman said. There are no other suspects in police custody. However, during the investigation, “many clues” were revealed. There are still no indications of a racist background in the fire in Solingen, south of Wuppertal.
A family from Bulgaria was unable to escape from the attic of the house during the devastating fire on Tuesday night. The 28- and 29-year-old parents died with their three-year-old toddler and just five-month-old baby. The baby's body was only found hours later in the badly burned attic. The family came from Bulgaria only recently, Kaune-Gebhardt confirmed the WDR report.
Residents jumped out of the window in fear of death
According to the State Prosecutor's Office, three injured people are in intensive care after the large fire in the apartment building. According to the State Prosecutor's Office, it is also a family with a child from Bulgaria. Five other tenants were injured. On Tuesday evening, the residents, in fear of death, jumped from the 100-year-old burning building into the street.
The state prosecutor confirmed that there had been a fire in the house before. A fire from 2022 is part of the estimates. All information received will be reviewed by the investigative authorities. Investigators had also called on the public to help explain the large fire.
Many people expressed their condolences at a rally outside the house on Thursday night. More than 150 participants came to mourn the victims and show solidarity with their relatives. The Amadeu Antonio Foundation, which supports initiatives against right-wing extremism, racism and anti-Semitism, and the left-wing alliance Solinger Appell called for the rally at short notice.
Residents of different nationalities
The State Prosecutor's Office presented the results of the preliminary report of fire experts on Wednesday. Investigators therefore assume that the arson was premeditated. Accelerator remains were clearly identified in the wooden stairwell. The investigation is based on allegations of murder or attempted murder.
According to the information, the residents of the house are of different nationalities. This raised fears among the Islamic association Ditib and the North Rhine-Westphalian Integration Council that the crime might have a racist motive.
The catastrophic fire brought to mind the burning of Solingen a good 30 years ago. In May 1993, five women and girls of Turkish origin with a far-right background were murdered in a nighttime arson attack. The attack marked the low point in a series of racist attacks against people of foreign origin in Germany.