Fire at Ukrainian restaurant in Estonia suspected to be arson
A fire broke out on Friday, 31 January, at the Ukrainian restaurant Slava Ukraini in the Telliskivi district of Tallinn, Estonia. Authorities suspect arson.
As reported by ERR, an Estonian media outlet, Britta Sepp, spokesperson for the Estonian Police and Border Guard Department, reported that the police received a report of the fire early on 31 January at 04:45 in northern Tallinn.
"According to our preliminary information, it may have been arson. The circumstances of the incident are being investigated in criminal proceedings under the section on damage and destruction of property. This is a preliminary legal assessment as evidence is still being collected," Britta Sepp said.
Siim Palu, head of communications of the Northern Rescue Centre, explained that the rescue service was alerted by an automatic fire alarm in a building in northern Tallinn at 04:45. Firefighters from the Central City Rescue Service were dispatched.
"At the scene, fire was seen inside the building and the sprinklers were working. Rescue workers forced open the door and discovered a fire in the restaurant on the second floor. The fire was only in part of the restaurant, however, smoke was spreading into the hotel on the second floor," Siim Palu said.
The fire was successfully extinguished.
On 7 January, a brief fire broke out at a refugee reception centre in Eindhoven, Netherlands, where a man was arrested on suspicion of arson.
On 29 January, Moldovan authorities pressed charges against five individuals who allegedly planned an arson attack near the Central Electoral Commission during the country's 2024 presidential elections.