Authorities in Germany have arrested a man in connection with two arson attacks and a van collision. One of the arson incidents resulted in two children suffering critical injuries, and it is suspected that the attacks were targeted at a specific family.

On Sunday, police in Essen, a city located in western Germany, announced the arrest of a 41-year-old man in connection with serious charges of arson and attempted murder.

According to reports from Reuters, the suspect was apprehended during a separate incident where a van collided with two retail shops, as stated by a police spokesperson.

Emergency calls were received by the Essen fire department around 5:10 p.m. local time (1510 GMT/UTC) on Saturday, alerting them to a fire that had erupted in an apartment building situated in the Altenessen district.

Rescue teams employed a turntable ladder to evacuate individuals who were trapped and calling for help from the smoke-filled windows. A total of twelve people suffered injuries in the blaze, which included eight children. Among the injured, two children were critically hurt and required hospitalization. Fortunately, the fire was swiftly brought under control.

In the aftermath of the initial fire, another apartment building in the vicinity was also set ablaze. According to the fire department, occupants of this building were seen standing at their windows and on balconies gasping for air, as they could not escape through the smoke-filled stairwell. One individual reportedly jumped out of a window when emergency services arrived.

The fire department reported that 19 people from this second building were injured and subsequently taken to hospitals. Eleven of these individuals sustained serious injuries; however, none of the injuries were deemed life-threatening.

Essen Mayor Thomas Kufen remarked on Sunday that the suspected arson attacks seemed to have been aimed at members of the same family. Shortly after these incidents, a delivery van crashed into two shops located in the neighboring district of Katernberg.

Several men managed to detain the suspect, who was allegedly armed with a knife and a machete, using shovels and poles until police arrived to make the arrest. The individual in question is a 41-year-old man from Essen who holds Syrian nationality.

The city, which is part of the historically industrial Ruhr area in Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, experienced what Mayor Kufen described as "dramatic hours." He extended his congratulations to the fire brigade, rescue workers, and police for their exemplary efforts, as well as to the residents. "I would like to thank everyone who prudently helped to catch the alleged perpetrator for their civil courage," he added.

Investigators are reportedly looking into possible links between the various crimes, and the specific motive behind the suspect's actions is currently under investigation.