Man arrested on suspicion of deliberately setting container fires in Kraljevo

A 42-year-old man was arrested after fires were deliberately set in waste containers at several locations across Kraljevo, police said.

The suspect, identified by his initials O.S., allegedly started the fires at about 2 a.m. The blaze spread to two passenger vehicles parked nearby on Četvrti kraljevački bataljon Street. One car was destroyed and the other was partially damaged, causing substantial property damage.

N1 reported that containers were set alight at as many as eight locations, including Omladinska Street, Cara Lazara Street and the Četvrti kraljevački bataljon area along the Ibar quay. Fire crews reportedly worked through the night, tackling the blazes until about 6 a.m.

Local Front city councillor Predrag Voštinić posted a video of a fire outside his building on Instagram. He said the smell of burning woke him and that he called firefighters after seeing a car on fire. According to Voštinić, a firefighter told him crews had been responding to fires along the quay since 2 a.m. and urged residents to move away.

The suspect will remain in custody for up to 48 hours before being brought before the competent prosecutor with a criminal complaint.

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I called the firefighters when I saw that a car was burning in front of our building. A kind man helplessly said, 'We have no more people. Someone started setting fires along the quay at 2 a.m. We cannot keep up. Please just move away.'