BERLIN

An apartment fire that claimed the lives of a Turkish mother and her 4-year-old son is believed to have been deliberately set, German authorities said on Wednesday.

"We do not believe that there was a technical defect, but rather that the fire was caused intentionally," Ingo Kechichian, a spokesman for public prosecutors, told public broadcaster RBB.

There were no immediate clues regarding the motive of the suspect or suspects.

The fire broke out early Sunday at a shop on the ground floor of a three-story house in the town of Eberswalde in Brandenburg, northeastern Germany.

The fire quickly went out of control and injured at least six people, affecting four of them seriously, in addition to killing the mother and son, according to fire department officials.

Police spokesman Roland Kamenz told local media that authorities are investigating the blaze thoroughly, without ruling out any potential causes.

The police department appealed for witnesses and requested anyone with information to come forward and assist in the investigation.

Past years have seen arson attacks in Germany on the residences of Turkish immigrant families.

In 1993, a Turkish immigrant home in the German town of Solingen was set ablaze by four young far-right extremists, resulting in the killing of five members of the Genc family – two women and three girls – while 14 others were wounded, including several children.