Three suspects held after homemade explosives start fire at Friedrichshafen arena

A fire broke out overnight at the closed ZF Arena in Friedrichshafen, a former sports venue in southern Germany.

Police suspect three young men, aged 17, 20 and 21, made homemade explosive devices and threw one through a window into the building.

A second device was reportedly thrown into a nearby rubbish bin and exploded.

The fire caused about €100,000 in damage.

Police later found more chemical mixtures in a garage used by the 17-year-old in Kluftern, prompting authorities to ask residents to stay indoors during the operation.

Specialists from the state criminal police destroyed the materials in a controlled explosion, which police said went smoothly.

The three suspects were released after police found no reason to believe they would flee, while an investigation into causing an explosive blast continues.