The police have arrested three teenagers for the fire at the monumental tree on the Bandalaan in Eindhoven. It was so badly damaged last week that it is highly questionable whether he will survive. The fire caused a lot of outrage and grief in the neighborhood.
Immediately after the fire in the Het Wasven nature reserve, the police assumed that the fire would have been lit. An investigation was launched, which led to the three arrests on Wednesday morning. It concerns two suspects aged 16 and 18 from Eindhoven, and another man aged 18 from Nuenen. They are detained and are being questioned about their role and part in the arson.
The plane tree, known as the Spotted Southerner, was planted 262 years ago. The fire has blackened the trunk of the tree and severely damaged it. The deck around it was also destroyed by the fire. In 2009 the tree was declared the first ‘world tree’ in the Netherlands. The place is regularly used to get married or to mourn.
Crowdfunding
That mourning now also happens around the tree, although there is still a small chance that he will survive. To increase those chances, a donation campaign was started. More than 6000 euros has already been raised on this.
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