Snipers deployed to rooftops and gunshots heard after explosion in high rise tower block
At least eight people were injured in a fire in an apartment in Ratingen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Some of them are thought to have sustained life-threatening injuries. A large-scale operation by the police, fire brigade and other emergency services is underway. Armed police officers were also called to the scene.
Around 10am, the homeowners’ association informed the police that a resident’s mailbox was overflowing, Reul reported. The police then called the fire brigade on site to open the door.
A man is believed to have triggered a detonation with an object that is yet to be identified.
It is currently not known whether the man is still in the apartment. His mother was briefly seen on the balcony.
A man was later reportedly arrested, according to German media.
Special forces had previously stormed the apartment and arrested the man, thought to be in his 60s, said a police spokeswoman on site.
The man is injured. It is unclear whether the suspect is also the man who was carried out of the high-rise on the stretcher.
After the arrest, the police found a body in his apartment. This was confirmed by North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) on Thursday in the interior committee of the Düsseldorf state parliament.
The site was cordoned off over a large area, and several rescue helicopters were alerted. Armed officers went into the high-rise building. Snipers also positioned themselves accordingly.
Reporter on site Andreas Wegener said possible gunshots came from the scene at the time.
Security sources are not ruling out a targeted attack, according to ZDF.
German Police tweeted: “There is currently a major fire in Ratingen-West.
“There was an explosion there for reasons that are not yet clear.
“Several people are injured, including police officers.
“More information will follow as soon as we have reliable information.”
They later added: “Update: The explosion took place in an apartment in a high-rise building.”
A spokesperson for police told said a large police presence was at the scene of the incident, in a multi-occupancy residential building.
There is understood to be around 10 injured members of the emergency services.
