Three Indian Students Killed in House Fire in Germany, Suspect Arrested

Three Indian nationals, including two women and a man, have died in a fire at a residential building in Bochum, in Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia state, the Indian Embassy in Berlin said on Thursday.

All three victims were studying in Germany. The embassy said it was coordinating with local authorities and the bereaved families and providing all necessary assistance.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy expressed condolences to the families and confirmed that German authorities had launched an investigation into the incident. The Consulate General of India in Frankfurt is also assisting with the response.

According to local media reports, police identified the deceased as two women aged 25 and 27 and a 26-year-old man.

The fire broke out at the house on Tuesday morning, local time. Emergency responders found the three bodies on the second floor of the building, German broadcaster WDR reported.

Firefighters faced difficulties reaching the upper floors after flames spread upwards through the stairwell, preventing them from using the stairs to access the affected area.

A 41-year-old resident of the house has been arrested on initial suspicion of murder, WDR reported, citing a Bochum police spokesperson. The man has been questioned by investigators from the homicide squad as part of the ongoing probe.

Fire investigators have examined the property and ruled out a technical defect as the cause of the blaze, according to the report. Authorities are now investigating the possibility of arson and working to establish whether the fire was deliberately started or resulted from an accident.

The Indian Embassy and the Consulate General in Frankfurt remain in contact with the victims’ families as the investigation continues.

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