After house collapse in Görlitz: Police arrest two suspects

The men were already in pretrial detention „in other matters," as Siebenäuger said on the MDR program „Kripo live." This means that while they are already behind bars, they remain accessible for the ongoing investigation.

Search for stolen goods as possible motive

According to the information, the suspects reportedly roamed several streets in Görlitz on the day of the disaster, looking out for stolen goods. They were searching for anything of value, „insbesondere Fahrräder, Schrott beziehungsweise auch Kupferleitungen, Buntmetall," it was said.

It is certain that they were also inside the disaster house. What they did there remains unclear. Investigators are now examining how the two men entered the building and what actions there led to the collapse.

Initially, a gas explosion had been considered as a possible cause of the collapse. Investigations have now turned toward the two suspects, who according to police were reportedly out on the street in the afternoon of the day of the disaster where the house stood.

Rescue operation and search for clues

An examination of the cellar areas has not yet been possible due to the rubble. Police are hoping for tips about the suspects from the public. Witnesses who saw the two men at the scene on 18 May are asked to come forward.

Following the explosion, up to ten neighboring houses had to be evacuated at times. Hundreds of emergency workers from the fire department, the Technical Relief Service (THW), police, and rescue dog units searched for the three missing persons for days, at times digging through the debris with shovels and bare hands.

With the arrest of the two suspects, an initial concrete investigative success has been achieved. The police investigation into the exact cause of the explosion and the sequence of events inside the house is ongoing, while the prosecutor's office continues to process the case.

The tragedy of 18 May has left deep scars in Görlitz. Three people lost their lives when the inner-city multi-family house collapsed in on itself. With the arrest of the two suspects, the legal clarification has now moved at least one step closer, even though many questions about the exact sequence of events remain open.