Attempted Arson Inside St. Michael’s City Church in Jena
A 45-year-old man attempted to set fire to the altar and baptismal font inside St. Michael’s City Church in Jena, Germany, using lamp oil. The fire was quickly extinguished by those present, preventing major destruction, while police continue to investigate the incident as attempted arson.
A serious arson attempt took place inside the Evangelical City Church of St. Michael's Church when a 45-year-old man entered the building carrying several bottles of lamp oil.
He is reported to have spread the fuel in the area of the altar and baptismal font before igniting it. The flames were quickly noticed by church supervisors and other individuals present, who reacted immediately and extinguished the fire using hand-held fire extinguishers, preventing the fire from spreading through the historic interior.
The altar and baptismal font sustained damage estimated at around €3,000. The suspect was arrested at the scene after resisting officers and is under investigation for attempted arson and resistance to law enforcement. A preliminary drug test reportedly returned a positive result for cannabis, and authorities confirmed he is known to police for previous minor offences.
The incident has prompted further investigation by law enforcement and social services to assess risk and prevent similar events in the future.
Source: stern.de, jenaer-nachrichten, berliner-zeitung
Photo: wikipedia
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