November 17, 2022•Update: November 18, 2022
BERLIN
A firefighter was arrested for his suspected role in an arson attack at a Ukrainian refugee hostel in northeastern Germany, the Bild newspaper reported Thursday.
The 32-year-old volunteer firefighter, Nick P., was detained early Wednesday on arson charges -- one month after the fire gutted the building in the village of Gross Stromkendorf.
No one was injured when the fire destroyed the building during the night of Oct. 19 - 20.
A total of 14 Ukrainian refugees living at the hotel, as well as three Red Cross staff members, were able to escape.
An assessment by fire experts pointed to arson as the cause of the fire, in which an accelerant was used, according to state prosecutors.
The suspect was reportedly part of the team that extinguished the fire.
Investigators accuse the suspect of being a serial arsonist but believe the attack was not politically motivated.
There had reportedly been speculations that the attack had been a xenophobic hate crime because a Nazi swastika was found drawn on a signpost in front of the building, two days before the fire.
Investigators are looking into 19 fires that could be potentially linked to the suspect.
The suspect is charged with one count of grave arson and three additional arson charges.
There are further investigations into 15 additional fires in the region, according to media reports.
