Three Indians were killed in a possible arson in apartment in the city of Bochum in Germany on Tuesday, according to local reports.
The deceased were two women aged 25 and 27 and a man aged 26. They were found unresponsive in one of the apartments during the rescue operation. Their names were not immediately available. Unconfirmed reports said the three deceased had moved into the second-floor apartment just two weeks before the fire.
A Romanian national, 41, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the arson case, according to the German Press Agency (DPA). This comes as the investigators ruled out technical fault.
Jens Artschwager, a police spokesperson, told Bild that police officers were called to the apartment building on the previous day because of disputes. "No complaint was filed. We are currently checking whether there is a connection with the fire," he told the outlet.
The emergency responders who were alerted around 4.16 am completed the firefighting operation by 8 am.
Five others who had suffered smoke inhalation were treated by emergency medical personnel and shifted to nearby hospitals. Four of the residents were rescued using turntable ladder and portable ladders while another one escaped by jumping into a safety net. A cat, which was also rescued from the building, was given oxygen support and placed in veterinary care.
DPA reported that the building is not unhabitable and the wooden stairwell was completely destroyed, which stopped the residents from escaping from the upper floors.
