Elham Asaad Buaras
A mosque in the town of Hultsfred, southern Sweden, was razed by a fire on September 23, with police treating the incident as a suspected arson attack. The wooden building, which had been converted from a former church, was fully engulfed in flames by the time emergency services arrived.
The alarm was raised at 1:45 AM local time after eyewitnesses reported the blaze. Firefighters from four stations rushed to the scene, but their efforts were unable to save the structure. The roof had already collapsed, and the building was a total loss. “The building will be completely destroyed. It will not be possible to use it for anything,” said Michael Hesselgård of the rescue service. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The destroyed mosque was operated by the Pegasus Association and had been a place of worship for the local Muslim community since 2012. Originally built in 1926 as a Methodist church, it served as a vital community hub, used multiple times a week for prayers and other activities, according to the association’s chairman, Owais Kholi.
Police have launched a preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire. “The classification is set because we do not know why it has started burning,” explained police spokesperson Patric Fors. As part of their inquiry, police are collecting witness statements and checking for any available surveillance footage.
Due to the fire’s proximity to residential homes, duty officer Eva Jirhall stated that neighbours were put on alert for a potential evacuation. Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident to determine the cause and circumstances surrounding the blaze.
(Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
