A shocking turn of events occurred on Sunday evening regarding the house explosion in Görlitz that claimed the lives of three people in mid-May, as the incident is no longer being reported as an accident. The police have identified two suspects, a 33-year-old Afghan Zolmai K. and 27-year-old Pole Bartosz K.
Police say they are responsible for the murder of two Romanian women, 25-year-old Georgiana Rusu and 26-year-old Simona Marcu, as well as 48-year-old German-Bulgarian Ahmed.
All of these victims lost their lives in the explosion, which was “caused by traumatic injuries related to the collapse of the house,” said Irene Schott, 59, spokeswoman for the Görlitz public prosecutor’s office, to German newspaper Tag24.
Rescue teams combed through the explosion debris for days to recover the bodies. However, surveillance footage revealed that the Zolmai K., the Afghan, cycled away from the building at the same time the house exploded, including in this still image that was released by the police. Police say the suspects may have fled across the Neisse River towards Poland after the explosion, as Görlitz was actually divided between Poland and Germany after the war.
All three victims died on May 18tas a result of the collapse of the Gründerzeit building on James-von-Moltke-Straße in Görlitz.
Forensic technicians were only able to closely examine the pile of rubble starting on June 3, which apparently led to quick success. Police spokesman Kai Siebenäuger, 45, confirmed that they have been able to identify two suspects. He further stated that “They are suspected of having damaged the pipelines. The theory is that they intended to steal copper and turn it into cash.”
The two suspects, Bartosz K. and Zolmai K., were not initially arrested due to the explosion. Instead, they were already known to the police through various thefts and burglaries, including near the targeted house, and subsequently arrested. They were known to target bicycles, steal scrap metal, and once arrested, they told police they had gained access to the building before it exploded.
A police spokesperaon said that “what happened after entering the property is the subject of further investigation.”
