Cologne: Hand grenade found under burning car

Cologne – After the fire of a BMW X6 in Cologne-Eastern Germany early Wednesday morning Police discovered a live hand grenade under the wrecked car.

The grenade was then detonated at the site where it was found by specialists from the State Criminal Police Office (LKA), as safe transport was not possible.

Investigators are currently suspecting arson.

A possible connection with the explosion in front of a shop in the city center could neither be ruled out nor confirmed, a police spokeswoman told TAG24 in response to a query. A connection to organized crime is also possible.

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The investigations are ongoing in all directions, it continues.

Residents heard a loud bang early on Wednesday morning at around 2:45 a.m. and noticed the burning SUV on Uta-Renn-Platz. Police officers had closed off the square between Rösrather Strasse and Ludwig-Ronig-Strasse until around 8 a.m. for the emergency measures.