Inferno in Sweden as Gangs Make Coordinated Arson Attacks at Three Locations
On Monday evening police received multiple calls from concerned witnesses to the arson of at least 15 cars having been torched by youths in Frölunda square in Gothenburg and in Hjällbo, Expressen reports.
Multiple arson attacks on vehicles in #Gothenburg tonight
— Intelligence Fusion (@IntellFusion) August 13, 2018
- An estimated 15 cars alleged to have been torched
- Youths with molotov cocktails are reported to have set fire to the vehicles
- Other arson attacks reported in Trollhättan
- Ongoing#Sweden #Göteborg #svpol #breaking pic.twitter.com/ygKsdaW17N
They used molotov cocktails to set fire to the cars. There are an estimated 15 cars as well as a number of tyres set alight. Reports of other arson attacks came from the Kronogården in Trollhättan.
Footage from Frölunda in Gothenburg shows a gang torching car after car. The police received several reports about car fires and young people who were seen running from the site.
Sinnesjukt vilka pack #frölunda #hjällbo #göteborg pic.twitter.com/cseqaRYR6H
— Johan Jansson (@JJohanJJansson) August 13, 2018
BREAKING: Serious situation in Sweden. Youths torched around 14 cars near a shopping centre in Gothenburg pic.twitter.com/Ia9vbMnNV0
— Voice of Europe ???? (@V_of_Europe) August 13, 2018
At 9pm there were also several reports of fires in Hjällbo in northeast Gothenburg. The fire and rescue service arrived with over 25 men.
Several places in the area were burning. Cars, a caravan, a small truck and tyres. “It’s very messy and very busy people,” says Dan Lindqvist, an alarm and management operator at the rescue service in Greater Gothenburg.
Just after 10pm the fire and rescue service announced that the fires in Frölunda were under control. The fire should not have spread.
At 9:15pm, fires were also started in the Kronegården in Trollhättan. Staff from Norra Älvsborg’s Rescue Service Federation from Trollhättan and Vänersborg stood at a breakpoint just outside the fires and awaited clear signs from police who had to secure the area.
“At present, tyres are burning, pallets and there are grass fires inside the area. Rockets and firecrackers are being thrown, so we are waiting for the police to announce that the area is safe,” said Simon Willner, internal officer at the rescue service in Norra Älvsborg. At 11:15pm the rescue service was able to work in the area.
“We have two units in three car fires. The cars were together in a carpark. We are assisting the police,” says rescue chief Hans Dernemyr.
“Young people have thrown stones against the police who came to ensure the scheme. They have been masked with hoodies and with cap over the face so you can not easily identify them.
“We have received information that it is about masked youth with hoodies and Adidas jogging bottoms that poured fuel on several cars. We realise that there is a group of between six and eight,” said Ulla Brehm police spokeswoman about the situation in Gothenburg.
— Zagros Hama ???????? (@ZagrosHama) August 13, 2018
The youths fled the scene and are being sought. One witness explains: “This was organised. They wanted to make as much damage as possible. A car was blown, it was quite crazy. I was scared.”
Some of the witnesses posted photos and videos on Twitter of the burning cars. One witness shared a video on Snapchat: “I was on my way home and saw a boat and a trailer on fire and then I called police immediately.”
Police spokesman Ulla Brehm said, “At the moment we have no information about personal injuries and I do not know if any arrests have been made, but it can not be ruled out.”
Ulla Brehm also stated that witnesses have described ‘dark-haired youngsters’ as having started the fires before fleeing.
