Another blast rocks central Cologne cityscape
A fresh blast shakes Cologne's heart, following an incident early Wednesday morning where a store on Ehrenstraße experienced an explosion around 5 a.m., as reported by officials. Firefighters managed to put out the flames, but the building's windows were obliterated, leaving one individual with minor injuries, as per "Cologne City News."
Footage obtained by the same source shows a homeless man on a bicycle tossing clothes out of the burning store. Preliminary evidence suggests this man wasn't involved in the blast.
Store set to resume operations at year's end
The affected store is called LFDY Store, as revealed in images showing significant damage to its entrance. The name LFDY stands for "Live Fast Die Young," a recognized streetwear brand hailing from Düsseldorf. Post extensive renovations two years ago, the Cologne branch was reopened in November 2022, details disclosed by "Cologne City News."
This explosion bears resemblance to the one that took place Monday night outside the "Vanity" club, injuring a 53-year-old man lightly. Law enforcement is reviewing security footage in search of potential witnesses. A figure clad in a hoodie can be seen planting and detonating the explosive device in the footage. However, the connection between the two incidents remains under investigation, with both explosion sites being approximately 350 meters apart.
Rumors are circulating that these incidents may be linked with notorious Dutch criminal groups known as "Mocro-Mafia." In recent months, these organizations have been linked to crimes in various German cities, such as Cologne-Rodenkirchen, Cologne-Mülheim, Buchheim, and Zündorf, among others.
The blast in Cologne has sparked concerns about escalating violence in the city, as this is the second explosion in a week. The investigation into the Vanity club explosion revealed a hooded figure planting and detonating an explosive device, suggesting a deliberate act of violence.
