Arson at National Institute of Criminology in Brussels

One of the laboratories of the National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC) in Neder-Over-Heembeek, Brussels, was set on fire last night around 3.00. A vehicle was also set on fire just outside the building, resulting in severe damage but no injuries, writes Bruzz.

The fire that raged last night at the NICC was not the result of an explosion of a vehicle, police sources confirm. The perpetrators used a vehicle to break into the building and subsequently set fire to one of the laboratories. Afterwards, they set fire to the vehicle and their own vehicle before fleeing the scene on foot.

Spokesman Pierre Meys of the Brussels fire department reports to Bruzz that it took two teams on the ground to fight the fire. The damage to the buildings is significant.

The motive or explanation for the crime is still unclear, but various reports suggest that the perpetrators may have been out to destroy criminal evidence. The NICC is a federal scientific institution within the justice ministry.

Five suspects who were arrested last night in connection with the incident have since been released, reports the Brussels public prosecutor.