A shocking attack took place last night (Saturday) in the city of Essen, when a 41-year-old Syrian migrant armed with a machete set several fires in residential buildings, injuring 30 people, including eight seriously injured children.
The incident began around 5 p.m., when reports were received of a fire breaking out in a residential building on Fialsticker Street in Essen. Witnesses told of women and children who were seen standing in windows, surrounded by smoke and begging for help. Rescue forces called to the scene brought the fire under control and rescued the occupants using ladders and safety mattresses.
A short time later, another fire broke out in a nearby residential building on Zollferinstrasse. Here, too, the forces had to deal with fierce flames and treat the many wounded.
A total of 30 people were injured in the incidents, with eight children seriously injured and in critical condition. At the same time as the fires, a van was reported to have collided with two businesses on nearby Katternberger Street, causing significant property damage. Fortunately, no injuries were recorded.
A short time later, police were able to arrest a suspect near the scene. He was a 41-year-old man, a Syrian immigrant living in Essen, who was reportedly armed with a machete and a knife. Local police have opened an investigation into the possible link between the fires and the vehicular accidents, and are investigating the suspect's motives.
The residents of Essen went into a state of shock following the serious incident. Eyewitnesses described the events as one of the most difficult moments they have ever seen. "We saw women and children standing in the windows, covered in smoke and screaming for help. It was a horrific sight," a fire department spokesman said.
* Channel 14 contributed to this article.
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