A man has been arrested after allegedly setting two fires in the western German city of Essen that left 30 people injured, and driving a van into two shops, authorities have said.

Emergency services were alerted to two fires in residential buildings in quick succession shortly after 5pm on Saturday, police said. The injured people included eight children who were seriously hurt, and two of them were in a life-threatening condition after inhaling smoke.

Shortly after the fires broke out, a van drove into two shops in the city, causing damage to property but no injuries. The suspect then allegedly threatened people with weapons, but several men managed to push him back with shovels and poles and hold him until police arrived.

Police said the suspect was a 41-year-old Essen resident with Syrian citizenship.

They said the man’s motive appeared to be that his wife had left him, and he targeted houses and shops where people who supported her lived.

The fire service said that, when it arrived at the scene of the first blaze, smoke was billowing from the entrance of the building and people were calling for help from windows. Neighbours had put up ladders to help people escape, but they were not long enough to reach the upper floors.

The suspect has not commented so far on what happened on Saturday, but was previously known to authorities for threats and damage to property, police said.

Prosecutors were seeking to have him kept in custody on suspicion of arson and attempted murder.