Fire breaks out in mosque in Germany, suspect detained on arson charges

COLOGNE

German police have detained a suspect in connection to a fire in a mosque in Dortmund, according to reports on Saturday.

After the fire broke out at roughly 10.00 p.m. local time (2100GMT) on Friday, firefighters were called to the scene, according to a statement by police.

According to local media reports, a suspect was reportedly detained in connection with the fire that broke out in the Anadolu Mosque, affiliated to the Turkish-Muslim group IGMG.

The 23-year-old man was detained on suspicion of arson in an investigation launched by police into the fire, which damaged the mosque.

There was no loss of life in the incident, said the police statement, adding that the fire department's rapid intervention prevented a major disaster as the blaze was extinguished before it could grow.

*Writing by Zeynep Cetin in Istanbul