North Rhine-Westphalia: Advent wreath catches fire: hundreds of thousands of euros in damage

Monheim am Rhein (dpa / lnw) - According to initial investigations, the candles on an Advent wreath caused a serious fire in a family home in Monheim am Rhein (Mettmann district). The 91-year-old resident said the Advent wreath caught fire shortly after she lit the candles. The fire then spread through the house, police said in a statement on Monday. Accordingly, the neighbor and grandson of the woman noticed the smell of smoke on Sunday morning. When he went to check on things, his grandmother's house was already on fire. He saved her and alerted the fire brigade. The elderly woman was unharmed, police said. The house almost burned down and is no longer habitable. The authorities estimate the damage at several hundred thousand euros.