Overview
- An electrical organ inside the Evangelical church St. Dionysius in Barum caught fire and firefighters worked for hours to bring the blaze under control with no people found inside the building.
- Early assessments say intense heat damaged parts of the gallery and an adjacent staircase and put initial repair costs at around one million euros.
- Police located and provisionally arrested a 26-year-old man who had earlier been taken to Lüneburg hospital and reportedly told responders he had set the fire.
- Investigators have opened a criminal inquiry, conducted initial interrogations, gathered witness statements placing the suspect at the scene, and are carrying out forensic work at the site.
- Officials warn damage estimates may change after a full assessment and legal steps such as formal charges will depend on ongoing evidence and forensic findings.