Major fire in Berlin - Speculation about fire - police assume defect
The Berlin Police continue to assume a technical defect as the cause of a large fire in a metal technology company in Berlin-Lichterfelde. This was stated by Police President Barbara Slowik in the Interior Committee of the Berlin House of Representatives, in reference to reports of a possible sabotage at the Berlin site of the Diehl Group, a defense contractor. However, according to the Senate and the company, no defense materials are being manufactured at the Berlin location, but rather automotive parts.
Criminal investigators from the Berlin Police were able to begin investigations quickly at the scene of the fire on May 3rd, despite ongoing firefighting efforts, and the police state protection was also activated, according to Slowik. Criminal investigators from the Berlin Criminal Office (LKA) continued to investigate the background of the incident.
Company: No indications of sabotage
The company had announced about a week ago that experts from the fire insurance companies had come to the conclusion that a technical defect had triggered the fire. The company had no indications of sabotage so far, a spokesperson for Diehl stated.
Media and social networks had caused speculation about the fire about eight weeks ago due to reports that the defense contractor also supplies weapons to Ukraine. According to reports in the "Bild" newspaper, the German government suspects that the Russian state may be behind the fire. A foreign intelligence service had informed German intelligence services of concrete indications of Russian involvement, the paper wrote. The German government has not commented on this so far.
- Despite the speculation about Russian involvement in the fire at the Berlin location of Diehl Group, Police President Barbara Slowik firmly maintained that the Berlin Police believe a technical defect to be the cause.
- The Major fire in Berlin-Lichterfelde's metal technology company had sparked discussions in the German Parliament's Interior Committee, particularly regarding internal security issues.
- Barbara Slowik, the head of the Berlin Police and a member of the Interior Committee, reassured the committee that despite initial reports of possible sabotage, no evidence supporting this theory had been found during the investigation by the Interior Committee and the Berlin Criminal Office (LKA).
- As a response to the Major fire, the German Parliament's Internal Security Subcommittee convened a meeting to discuss the state of internal security in light of the speculation about possible Russian involvement and the growing tension between Russia and Ukraine.
- Despite the lack of concrete evidence for sabotage, Barbara Slowik and the Berlin Police maintained a careful watch on the situation, considering the tensions between Germany, Russia, and Ukraine, and the potential for misinformation or external interference.
