Machete-wielding attacker sets fire to homes as children lowered from | World | News

More than 30 people have been injured after two buildings were set on fire before a van was driven into two shops in Essen, Germany.

Eight children were injured in the incident, with a number reported to be in critical condition.

Footage captured at the scene shows neighbours helping children down from the roof of one of the residential buildings that had been set ablaze.

Another clip shows a man stepping out of a van wielding what appears to be a machete after the vehicle crashed into the shops.

A Syrian man is reported to have been arrested following the incident, which took place shortly after 5pm on Saturday.

A spokesperson for North Rhine Westphalia Police, the state police force that covers Essen, said: “At around 5:10 p.m., the fire department and police received numerous emergency calls about a fire on Pielstickerstrasse. Shortly afterwards, a fire broke out in an apartment building on Zollvereinstrasse.

“Firefighters were able to extinguish the fires and had to care for the injured. Eight seriously injured children were among the 30 injured.

“A few minutes later, a delivery van drove into two shops on Katernberger Strasse and Meybuschhof. There was property damage at both of these crime scenes, but no one was injured.

“A patrol car crew was able to arrest a suspect in the immediate vicinity of the crime scene. He is a 41-year-old man from Essen with Syrian nationality.

“The criminal police have taken over the investigation and are examining the connections between the crimes. The specific motives of the arrested man are also the subject of the investigation.”

The man’s motive appeared to be that his wife had left him, and he targeted houses and shops where people who supported her lived – the Press Association reports.

The fire service said that, when it arrived at the scene of the first blaze, smoke was billowing from the entrance of the building and people were calling for help from windows. Neighbours had put up ladders to help people escape, but they were not long enough to reach the upper floors.

The suspect has not commented so far on what happened on Saturday, but was previously known to authorities for threats and property damage, police said.

Prosecutors were seeking to have him kept in custody on suspicion of arson and attempted murder.