Arson in Reinickendorf: Unknown people set fire to school building!

Arson in Reinickendorf: Unknown people set fire to school building!

On the night of August 31, 2025, a fire on the facade of a school building was discovered in Reinickendorf. At 0:40 a.m., a passerby alerted the fire brigade and the police after seeing two unknown people running away. On site on Valaiser Straße, the fire brigade found that the fire had almost gone out when it arrived and was able to delete it quickly. A canister with flammable liquid was found at the scene and traces were secured. The facade of the school building and some windows suffered damage caused by soot candy. Fortunately, there were no injuries. The investigation is headed by the fire commissioner of the State Criminal Police Office reports the police.

This incident follows an arson attack that was carried out on two schools in Berlin-Steglitz on the same day. On Wednesday morning at 5 a.m., the fire brigade and police were called to Treitschkestrasse, where several arsons were suspected. According to the report of the Berlin newspaper Both acts could have been committed by the same perpetrators. At Copernicus High School, a fire was set in a seating area and the tea room burned completely. Previously there was originally talk of a classroom, but this was later corrected. At Dunant Elementary School, firefighters detected a smell of burning and ignited paper was found in the building, but the fire went out on its own.

Follow and safety aspects

The police investigations exclude a political background and are directed against arson and property damage. Lessons at the Copernikus secondary school fails on Wednesday, the resumption is planned for Monday. The headmistress Beate Maedebach informed the students about the incident by video. Interestingly, a study by the Institute for Damage Control and Damage Research (IFS) shows that educational institutions such as schools and daycare centers are particularly often the goal of arson. Around one tenth -examined building fire is due to arson, whereby the arsonal rate in these facilities is 2.5 times higher reports the IFS.

The typical sequence of such arson attacks is often characterized by unoccupied buildings. In 70% of cases, fires are set in the evening or at night, highlighting the need for security measures such as motion detectors and cameras. The IFS recommends that waste containers are not directly accessible and are placed in such a way that flames cannot spread to the building. It is essential that doors and windows are kept locked during closing times to prevent future incidents.