Rheda-Wiedenbrück (dpa / lnw) – Almost two and a half weeks after a major fire in Rheda-Wiedenbrück, the police have expanded the investigation. After the arrest of a suspect shortly after the fire, five other young people were being investigated, the Gütersloh police and the Bielefeld public prosecutor announced on Wednesday. Another suspect is in custody, according to the statement. The arrest warrant against another youth was lifted against conditions.
Three other young men are suspected of having broken into the warehouse before the fire, it said. It is unclear whether they were also involved in the alleged arson.
Several warehouses in an industrial complex west of downtown were destroyed in the fire on February 11. The police initially gave no information on the exact age of the suspects from Rheda-Wiedenbrück and Herzebrock-Clarholz and on the motive because the investigations are still ongoing.
The fire brigade had spoken of one of the largest operations in the region in recent years. More than 300 rescue workers were accordingly in the extinguishing work of the wood processing company until Sunday. Residents had to evacuate their homes to be on the safe side. The population was warned because of the heavy smoke. In some cases, rail traffic was stopped on an adjacent route. According to initial estimates, property damage was in the tens of millions.
