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IMMIGRATION

Arson suspected at Berlin refugee home blaze

A fire broke out at refugee accommodations made of shipping containers in a district in the far north of the capital early on Monday morning.

Published: 8 August 2016 17:49 CEST
Arson suspected at Berlin refugee home blaze
Photo: DPA

Police are investigating a case of suspected premeditated arson after the fire in Buch in northern Berlin which was reported to emergency services shortly after 3am on Monday.

Six residents of the home suffered light injuries as a result of smoke inhalation and had to be treated by paramedics at the scene, according to police.

The fire broke out in a shipping container in which refugees were housed on the first floor of the building. It then spread to the second and third floors.

The 185 resident of the home have been rehoused in a sports hall in Pankow, Tagesspiegel reports.

Arson attacks on refugee homes greatly increased in 2015, with the Interior Ministry describing them as part of an explosion in the rate of extremist violence.

But in one arson case in Düsseldorf in June, eight residents of the home were arrested on suspicion of starting the fire in a fight over Ramadan meal times.

FIRE

Situation ‘unstable’ at Copenhagen’s old stock exchange after fire

Three days after a fire which ravaged Copenhagen's historic former stock exchange broke out, emergency services said Friday that the situation was "unstable" due to equipment issues and a strong breeze.

Published: 19 April 2024 17:44 CEST
Situation 'unstable' at Copenhagen's old stock exchange after fire

In the morning, during work to dismantle the scaffolding surrounding the building, a crane’s cutters came loose for as of yet unknown reasons.

It is currently wedged between the scaffolding — put up for the renovation of the historic building that was ongoing — and what remains of the walls.

“It is affecting our efforts”, Tim Ole Simonsen, leader of the operation at the rescue services, told a press conference.

Coupled with the wind picking up, the incident, which has temporarily halted work on dismantling the scaffolding, has made the situation “unstable”.

“The wind is blowing harder and harder, and there are tarps over the scaffolding that can catch the wind,” Simonsen said.

He added that this increases the risks, in particular of further collapse of the burnt-out facade which started collapsing late Thursday afternoon.

Located close to the Christiansborg parliament and seat of government, the Borsen building was commissioned by King Christian IV and built between 1619 and 1640. It was the stock exchange until the 1970s.

The fire began Tuesday morning under the copper roof of the building, which was undergoing renovations ahead of its 400th anniversary.

The cause of the blaze was unknown and Copenhagen police said Wednesday that a major investigation had been launched.

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