Pottiga/Saalfeld (dpa/th) - A man is said to have set his family's house on fire in Pottiga (Saale-Orla district). His 61-year-old father and 66-year-old mother suffered life-threatening injuries in the fire on New Year's Eve and were taken to special clinics by rescue helicopter, the police said on Monday. The one and five-year-old children of the 35-year-old came to the hospital with smoke inhalation. A police spokeswoman said the man was being investigated for attempted murder. He is in custody.
Several generations of the family lived in the house. It is no longer habitable. A family dog also died in the fire. The 35-year-old, known to the police, was provisionally arrested and an arrest warrant was issued against him on New Year's Day. The cause of the crime is still unclear, the police did not provide any further information, citing the investigation. The village of Pottiga, which has 400 inhabitants, is part of the municipality of Rosenthal am Rennsteig.
