In August last year, several people died in a fire in an apartment building in Apolda (Weimarer Land). Now the trial against the arsonist has begun at the Erfurt Regional Court.
The 36-year-old has to answer for murder in a so-called safeguarding procedure. However, he is not to be sentenced, as the accused was not criminally responsible at the time of the crime, according to an expert opinion.
The aim of the trial is to place the arsonist permanently in a psychiatric ward.
The perpetrator allegedly set fire to an apartment building in August 2022 using two canisters of petrol. Three people died in the fire. A fourth person died when he jumped out of the window in fear of the flames.
In addition, almost two dozen people were injured, some seriously. The fire brigade had rescued more than 30 residents from the blazing house.
The perpetrator and the victims are Bulgarian citizens.