Series of fires in Wermelskirchen: murder squad investigates!

Series of fires in Wermelskirchen: murder squad investigates!

On the night of June 7, 2025, a quiet Saturday morning in Wermelskirchen turned into a real drama. At around 3:50 a.m., the fire department and emergency services were alerted to a basement fire in an apartment building on Friedrichstrasse. But that was just the start: Shortly afterwards, at 4:40 a.m., there was a fire in the attic of another apartment building on Obere Waldstrasse, and around 6:40 a.m. another fire was reported in another apartment building on Telegrafenstrasse. In total, around 40 people had to be rescued from these burning houses, while ten people had to be treated in hospital for suspected smoke poisoning. Fortunately, everyone is now well again and was able to leave the hospital, but the affected buildings are uninhabitable, with the apartment building on Schwanen being considered at risk of collapse. [Radiorsg.de].

What is particularly worrying is that the investigation points to at least one arsonist. Mayor Marion Holthaus even broke off her vacation to visit the scene of the accident. The criminal homicide squad has taken over the investigation and is currently interviewing residents and residents. On Sunday, police officers and sniffer dogs were deployed to collect further information, while the fire sites remained cordoned off. The police are showing an increased presence on site, carrying out targeted checks and searches and looking for witnesses who noticed suspicious people or vehicles during the night. In particular, two men who were observed riding an e-scooter near the scene of the fire around 4:15 a.m. and whose description will be shared with the public are the focus of investigators.

Safe environment for citizens

The support from the region's fire department was exceptional: four turntable ladders were used, and the German Red Cross and the Technical Relief Agency were also on site to provide support. The investigations are being supported by fire experts from the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis, and the intensity of the investigations was kept high during the Pentecost days. According to RP Online, numerous house interviews have been carried out since the incident to collect further information and determine the identity of the suspects.

In recent years, the number of arson cases recorded by the police in Germany has increased. According to statistics from the Federal Criminal Police Office, many cases were registered between 2014 and 2024, which underlines the urgency of the current investigation in Wermelskirchen. As the search for the arsonists continues, the city remains on alert. The police are calling on citizens to be vigilant and to submit information by calling 0221 229-0 or by email to poststelle.koeln@polizei.nrw.de. Information about arson is not only important for solving current incidents, but also helps prevent future tragedies.

The situation in Wermelskirchen remains tense and everyone hopes that the investigation will soon lead to a positive result in order to return security and peace to the city.