Arson suspected in fire at Swedish asylum center

Police investigations are underway into a fire at an asylum home. Local media reports said there had been attempts a day earlier to set the building on fire when oil canisters were found left in an oven.

Investigators said there were no suspects at present and that they were unaware of any threats against the asylum centre. 

"We will now see if anybody in the area may have seen something," Sven-Erik Olsson at the Stockholm police's central dispatch unit said.

"The technical investigation of the scene will begin tomorrow."

At least 37 people were evacuated from the facility, which sustained considerable damage during the blaze. The alarm reportedly came during a routine police patrol.

Opposition to refugees

Sweden took in a record 163,000 asylum seekers last year - the highest proportion in any European country relative to size and population. The country has also struggled with finding housing for all the new arrivals. Numbers have fallen sharply following a major government clampdown.

Immigration has become a key issue in the Scandinavian country in recent years, with growing anti-immigration sentiments giving a boost to the opposition Sweden Democrats, which are now the third biggest party in parliament. 

ss/rc (AP, Reuters)