A 60-year-old is said to have sprayed a 39-year-old with a liquid on an apartment door in Berlin-Spandau, which ignited. The flames injured the attacked man’s face and hands, police said on Tuesday. The incident happened on Monday in an apartment building in the Kladow district. The 60-year-old was arrested. He should be brought before a magistrate. By Tuesday evening there was no information as to whether a decision had been made about detention.

According to previous investigations, the 39-year-old and the 60-year-old were initially visiting a 27-year-old tenant in the house. For reasons that are not yet known, a dispute broke out. The host is said to have hit the 60-year-old in the head and thrown him out of the apartment.

A little later, the tenant and his remaining 39-year-old guest heard noises in front of the apartment door and noticed flames on the doormat there, it said. While the tenant was fetching water in the bathroom, the 39-year-old is said to have opened the apartment door. At that moment, the 60-year-old splashed him with the liquid. The 27-year-old put out the flames, it said.

Police officers arrested the 60-year-old shortly afterwards in his apartment in the neighboring house. Rescue workers took the 39-year-old to a clinic, where his burn injuries are being treated as an inpatient. Danger to life should not exist. The detainee was treated as an outpatient at a hospital for a head injury. A fire department of the State Criminal Police Office is investigating serious arson and dangerous bodily harm.

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