A 72-year-old patient is being held on suspicion of arson after a hospital fire in Hamburg-Hohenfelde left three people dead, the Hamburg police announced on Sunday evening.
Following initial investigations by the Kriminaldauerdienst (LKA 26) and a focus on the cause of the fire by the Landeskriminalamt for arson cases (LKA 45), a 72-year-old patient emerged as a prime suspect after new leads emerged during witness interviews.
The man was taken into custody at the hospital and is set to appear before a judge. The investigation is ongoing, with a focus on determining whether the suspect was in a state of psychological distress at the time of the incident.
The fire occurred at around 0:23 am in the Alfredstraße and the police are working to uncover the full circumstances of the tragedy.