STOCKHOLM (AP) — The tenant who is suspected in the huge Swedish apartment building explosion and fire last month that injured 16 people was found dead in the water Wednesday, police said, adding that they do not suspect foul play in his death.
The man was found in the harbor of Goteborg, Sweden’s second-largest city, only a few kilometers (miles) from the building that was blown up on Sept. 28. Authorities said he was suspected of attempted murder, arson and general destruction. A manhunt had begun in Sweden and internationally for him.
“It’s nice that he has been found now, although we had hoped that he would be alive,” senior police officer Anders Borjesson said.
Prosecutor Maria Thorell said the investigation into attempted murder and gross public destruction “to determine the cause of the explosion and investigate whether there are other perpetrators” will continue while the probe against the suspect will be closed.
Authorities in Sweden haven’t named the suspect, a man in his 50s. Swedish media said he was born in Poland.
Last month, an apartment building in Goteborg was hit by a powerful explosion. Ensuing blazes spread to several apartments and hundreds of residents were evacuated. Four of the injured are in serious condition and at least 140 apartments were damaged.
The property owner had been trying to evict the man and his mother from their apartment in the building, according to the Aftonbladet newspaper. Several Swedish media said an eviction was planned for the day the explosion occurred.
Aftonbladet said police had already charged the man with several offenses a week before the blast. The paper also reported that after not being allowed to see his mother at a nursing home because of pandemic restrictions, the suspect harassed several people, including the owner of the building.
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