Police probe into possible arson at Berlin refugee housing

Police in Berlin are investigating the possibility of arson after a fire destroyed part of a refugee accommodation centre on the grounds of the former Tegel airport on Tuesday, reported dpa.

The cause of the fire, which destroyed a large tent hall but did not cause any injuries, still remains unclear, a Berlin police spokeswoman told dpa on Wednesday.

The roughly 1,000-square-metre tent was home to about 300 people who had fled the war in Ukraine, but everyone - including children and animals - managed to evacuate safely, according to the fire brigade and the operator of the accommodation centre.

Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to other tents.

According to the Berlin State Office for Refugee Affairs, alternative accommodation was provided for the people affected on the site.

The arrival centre for migrants is among the largest such facilities in Germany, and was originally constructed as temporary housing for people fleeing Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.