
After the major fire at the end of January in the Bellings district of Steinau, the criminal investigations are continuing, the Hanau public prosecutor's office said in response to a request from our newspaper.
Steinau-Bellings – According to this, there is still an initial suspicion of a criminal offense. Specifically, it is an investigation into negligent arson, explains a spokesman. However, for tactical reasons, no further information can be provided at the moment.
Fire with millions in damages: Arson is still suspected
In the evening On January 22nd, a fire broke out in a hall measuring around 20 by 40 meters in the town of Bellingswhich spread to the entire building in seconds. Meter-high columns of fire shot into the night sky and were visible from far away. The situation was particularly explosive due to an immediately adjacent retirement home, which was at times seriously threatened by thick clouds of smoke.
The extinguishing work was extremely difficult for the approximately 80 forces. Parts of the burning hall repeatedly collapsed, making it impossible to get inside. In addition, the winter cold made the site dangerously slippery as the extinguishing water froze on the ground.
The water supply also initially caused problems, but was eventually stabilized using several water tanks. A power outage in the district made coordination even more difficult. The police estimated the damage at around 1.5 million euros because valuable cars also fell victim to the flames. (ls)





