A massive blaze has killed two people in a German apartment building where the predominant number of residents are of Turkish descent and has raised concerns that minorities are being targeted in racially motivated arson attacks.

The incident took place in the Höhenberg neighborhood in Köln at about 9.30 p.m. on Saturday when a fire broke out for unknown reasons in the predominately Turkish apartment. Two people, a man and a woman, were killed while 26 people were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation and four people were reported as missing by German police on Sunday.

Initial reports indicate that one of those killed was Albanian citizen and the other a German citizen. According to the reports, the fire broke out on the first floor in an area where baby carriages are kept. However, the reasons for the fire have not yet been determined. The police have launched an intense investigation into the incident.

Just over two weeks ago, on March 10, another apartment fire in southwest Germany led to the deaths of 8 people of Turkish descent. Now fears that the fires have been intentionally set are growing, with many blaming extremist groups, such as neo-Nazi’s, for the deaths. The German police said in a statement that they believed the fire broke out in a second-floor apartment and that their investigation is focusing on a heater in the apartment. However, the Turkish public and government officials have said that no possibility should be ruled out by investigators since many Turkish immigrants have been killed in the past in fires that were later proved to have been started by neo-Nazi groups.

A statement released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on March 10 said the German police had stated that the incident was not arson or a racist attack, but the ministry shied away from fully accepting the German police’s account, saying that past events have made it necessary to thoroughly investigate the fire. The latest incident strengthens the suspicions of the Turkish public and authorities.

[adrotate group=”9″]