Soest City Hall fire ruled an arson; Suspect at-large
The fire that briefly broke out in the town hall of Soest on the night of Monday to Tuesday was set deliberately, the police ruled on Wednesday. There are sufficient indications of an arson, a police spokesperson told RTV Utrecht on Wednesday.
The investigation is still ongoing. Surveillance footage is notably being reviewed. The police have also called on witnesses to come forward.
An explosion caused a brief but fierce fire in the city hall, damaging the central hall of the building. The fire department responded to the city hall around midnight.
RTV Utrecht reported on Wednesday that the fire has likely caused several hundred thousand euros in damage. This is an initial, provisional assessment by the municipality,
The Civil Affairs department was still closed on Wednesday due to the damage. A temporary counter has been set up elsewhere in the building. Appointments will be rescheduled to next week where possible, and the phone accessibility will be expanded, according to a spokesperson who spoke with the local broadcaster.
Important documents like passports were not lost in the fire, as they were stored in a safe, according to earlier reports from the municipality.
Mayor Rob Metz described the fire as "naturally always unpleasant, but especially so if it's deliberate. This is particularly true because it's the residents who suffer, as the service provision is disrupted,” he told ANP.
