14-year-old is said to have started devastating fires in the Coburg locomotive shed!

14-year-old is said to have started devastating fires in the Coburg locomotive shed!

In tranquil Coburg there are always surprises - and sometimes unfortunate events. Recently, the investigation into two fires on the property of the famous engine shed has heated up people's minds. Loud BR.de Authorities suspect a 14-year-old boy of being responsible for the fires that broke out on the site in 2023.

The Upper Franconian criminal police and the Coburg public prosecutor announced that the investigation was driven forward by evaluating traces and witness statements. The teenager is suspected of setting the fires on April 21st and May 5th. The first incident led to the complete destruction of the abandoned locomotive shed, which has since been partially demolished - a measure that was necessary due to the acute risk of collapse.

Details about the fires

The second fire occurred just two weeks later and affected an adjacent administration building, which was engulfed in flames. Here the fire brigade allowed the building to burn down in a controlled manner because further intervention would have been too dangerous. Fortunately, there were no injuries in either incident, but the financial damage is significant. Experts estimate the total damage at around 900,000 euros InFranken reports.

Anyone who lives in Coburg knows that the engine shed is known as the “Lost Place” and is often advertised on dubious websites. This sad fate for a historic building highlights the dangers that arise from an interest in abandoned places - a kind of allure that apparently also enticed the youngster.

Arson in the German context

The topic of arson is not new and is also reflected in history. In Germany, around 20,871 cases of arson are documented by the police every year, as the analysis shows Fire Department-ub.de shows. The reasons for such behavior can be diverse - from a desire for recognition to political calculations to pure destructiveness. The case of the Coburg locomotive shed is therefore not just a local problem, but part of a larger social phenomenon.

In a country where fire is a central element of many stories and rituals, this incident shows how emotions and actions can have unforeseen, often dramatic consequences. It remains to be seen how the judiciary will react to the case and what lessons will be learned from it in order to avoid such incidents in the future.