The castle in Horní Maršov was apparently set on fire by a group of arsonists

Hradec Králové - The fire at the historically protected castle in Horní Maršov in the Trutnov region was intentionally set, and the police have ruled out insurance fraud. Criminal investigators are on the trail of the likely arsonists. This was revealed in today's statement from the regional police directorate in Hradec Králové. The police are investigating the August fire on suspicion of criminal damage, but do not rule out a change in legal qualification. No one has been detained or charged so far. The damage to the castle is estimated at more than five million crowns, and property worth over ten million crowns was threatened.

"The castle fire has common features with an intentionally set fire to several vehicles at a car dealership, which is being investigated by detectives from Pelhřimov. In this case, the damage amounted to nearly one million crowns, but there was also a threat to property worth almost ten million crowns, similarly to Horní Maršov," said regional police spokesperson Jan Čížkovský to ČTK.

As a result of this finding, the police have a description of the likely perpetrators and suspect that it may have been an organized group.

"We are evaluating information about the recorded movement of Škoda brand vehicles near the sites of the fires, which always left heading towards Prague. A registration plate, which was on one of the cars, was stolen in Prague. The similarity of the descriptions of the crews of these vehicles is another clue for the investigators," Čížkovský reported. Trutnov criminal investigators, who have been working on the investigation of the fire at the castle in Horní Maršov since the beginning, have therefore started closely cooperating not only with colleagues from Pelhřimov but also from Prague and other units.

A car dealership in the Humpolec area of Rozkoš in Pelhřimov district experienced a fire on November 26, 2017. "The fire of vehicles is being investigated by colleagues for suspicion of a general endangerment crime, and no legal qualification has been changed yet regarding the castle fire. If the perpetrators are caught and the information about an organized group is confirmed, they could face up to 15 years in prison," Čížkovský told ČTK.

In the damaged castle, investigators found several fire hotspots, and expert evaluations confirmed traces of highly flammable substances at the crime scene. The police have ruled out technical defects, negligence, and insurance fraud. "The fire started on the northeastern side of the castle, intentionally set in a more remote part so that it would be discovered as late as possible, causing significant damage. Its intensity was high, it spread quickly and throughout the entire area of the former castle's attic. In the interior spaces below the fire's focal point, the smell of flammable liquids was noticeable," investigator Libor Halouzka stated in a press release. The intervention of 12 units and dozens of firefighters lasted more than 12 hours.

The castle owned by Russian owner Sergej Majzus is roofless after the August fire. The owner, heritage conservationists, and the Prague company Nové Zálesí, which seeks to purchase the property, are collaborating on securing the damaged building for winter. By the end of November, the building should be secured against further damage.

Despite extensive damage, the castle remains historically protected. According to conservationists, it is a significant example of a rural late Baroque castle that has been gradually modernized. The fire destroyed all the roofs, two towers, and the attic space. The fire also affected parts of the ceilings on the second floor of all wings of the castle. The castle was offered for sale for 14.5 million crowns according to an advertisement on the internet. A representative of Nové Zálesí did not disclose the current price. The castle has been unused since 1994.