Three Indian Students Die in Fire Incident in Germany’s Bochum

Berlin: Three Indian nationals died in a fire incident in Bochum, a city in Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia state, the Indian Embassy in Germany said on Thursday.

According to the embassy, all three victims were studying in Germany. The embassy said it was in contact with local authorities and the victims’ families and was providing all possible assistance.

German authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Germany said that two women and one man had died in the fire in Bochum. The Embassy of India in Berlin and the Consulate General of India in Frankfurt are in contact with local authorities and the victims’ families to provide all necessary assistance.

The embassy expressed its deep condolences to the bereaved families, adding that German authorities were investigating the incident.

Victims Identified as Two Women and One Man

According to local media reports, police identified the deceased as three Indian nationals, including two women aged 25 and 27 and a 26-year-old man. A fire broke out in a house in Bochum on Tuesday morning, local time.

According to a report by Germany-based WDR, emergency responders found three bodies on the second floor of the building.

Rescue Operation Hampered by Flames on Staircase

The rescue operation was particularly difficult because the flames had spread upwards through the staircase, making it impossible for firefighters to use the stairs to reach the upper floors.

41-Year-Old Resident Arrested on Suspicion of Murder

WDR, quoting a Bochum police spokesperson, reported that a 41-year-old man who lived in the house was suspected of murder.

The man has been arrested and questioned by officers from the homicide squad.

Investigators examining the cause of the fire have inspected the house. According to the report, they ruled out the possibility of a technical fault and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the blaze.

Police are investigating whether the fire was deliberately set or broke out accidentally.