17-year-old arrested in relation to deadly house fire in Hilversum
The police have arrested a 17-year-old boy from Hilversum in connection with a fatal house fire that left two people dead. He allegedly set the house on fire a month and a half ago, NH Nieuws reported.
The house fire killed a couple from Hilversum, 48-year-old Vanessa Vos and 49-year-old Marco Witkamp, five weeks ago. The early morning fire happened in a house in the Lutherhof area in Hilversum, where the couple lived for 24 years.
The fire brigade was able to rescue them quickly, but they both suffered serious injuries in the blaze. They were resuscitated on the street and rushed to the area hospital. Vos succumbed to her injuries on the same day, and Witkamp one day later.
Following the incident, there were immediate suspicions that the fire had been deliberately set. The pair had been victims of aggression for some time, according to locals. The house of Vanessa and Marco was frequently pelted with eggs and stones. A dead rat was also placed in front of the couple’s house before.
The suspect was arrested at his home during the early morning of Wednesday. He is currently being kept in restrictive custody, and is not allowed to meet or communicate with anyone except his attorneys.
The motive of the violence towards the couple is still not obvious. The police said they are continuing the investigation into the deadly blaze and did not rule out more arrests to be made in connection to the case.
