Investigations Underway Following Simultaneous Fires in Berlin

In the early hours of Tuesday, two fires broke out almost simultaneously at locations in Berlin's Lichtenberg and Britz districts, resulting in the destruction of over 30 transport vehicles belonging to major companies such as Amazon and Telekom. Authorities have initiated an investigation into the incidents, suspecting arson.

The Berlin Fire Department received alerts about the fires around 2:56 AM, with the first incident occurring at a Telekom parking facility on Buchberger Street in Lichtenberg. Reports indicate that 17 vehicles were engulfed in flames. A total of 51 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, successfully extinguishing the fire by just before 4 AM.

Shortly after, at approximately 3:00 AM, firefighters were called to respond to a fire at an Amazon vehicle parking area on Koppelweg in Britz. This blaze resulted in the complete destruction of 19 vehicles, with an additional four damaged due to proximity to the burning transporters. Fire officials confirmed that 40 firefighters managed to bring this fire under control within the same timeframe.

Both incidents raise suspicions of possible political motives, leading the Berlin police to hand over the investigations to the State Protection Department, which specializes in politically motivated crimes. The police spokesperson has reported varying figures on the number of affected vehicles, with some sources indicating 18 vehicles were completely destroyed in the Britz incident.

The recent fires are part of a troubling trend, as just a week prior, numerous transport vehicles were also set ablaze in a Gewerbegebiet (commercial district) in Schönwalde Glien, where similar suspicions of political motivations emerged. In May, a suspected arson attack on delivery vehicles belonging to a prominent e-commerce company in Berlin coincided with the discovery of a claim of responsibility.

As investigations continue, authorities are urging anyone with information related to these incidents to come forward, highlighting the need for community vigilance in the face of such destructive acts.