Dutch police were called to the scene of the fire in Valkenswaard on August 27 after finding broken windows and traces of fire -- such as soot -- at the property, which is currently vacant and is in the process of being turned into a reception center for asylum seekers.

A spokesperson said that it wasn't clear yet when the fire might have first started, adding that the officials inspecting the building had stated that the fire appeared to have been started deliberately.

Investigators are now following up on those observations to establish whether the fire was indeed started intentionally.

Valkenswaard is located near the city of Eindhoven, and only about five kilometers north of the Dutch border with Belgium.

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'Unacceptable' act of vandalism

Authorities said that it appeared that a flammable liquid had been thrown at the facility, likely resulting in several windows being broken. 

Beneath those windows, soot marks could be observed, according to the regional public broadcaster Omroep Brabant, which also shared images of the site after the incident.

Local Mayor Corine van Overdijk said that "[a]ttempts to influence that process [of opening an asylum facility] through arson, intimidation, or vandalism are unacceptable."

"It puts people in danger and compromises safety."

The intention to convert the premises in Valkenswaard, which had previously served as business premises, into a reception center had only been announced just over a week ago, according to the NL Times news platform.

If the plans continue on their current trajectory despite the suspected arson attack, it will accommodate up to 40 unaccompanied minors between the ages of 14 and 18.

There have been no announcements yet on when the facility is intended to open, though it is assumed to remain in operation for at least five years.

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Series of attacks in Brabant

Another asylum center in the same region had suffered an attack involving explosives only in May.

Meanwhile in June, another attack was thwarted after construction workers at another site earmarked to be used as a future asylum center discovered a suspected pipe bomb and mortar near Nuenen.

In light of this string of attacks specifically in Brabant, the civil intelligence and security agency of the Netherlands (AIVD) has also launched an investigation to establish whether any organized criminal gangs might be linked to the events.

However, there have also been flare-ups of anti-migrant protests and unrest in other parts of the country in recent months.

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In accordance with Dutch law, each province has to accept a certain number of asylum seekers, which is proportionate to its population size. 

In the case of Brabant, just over 100 asylum seekers are due to be moved to the region when all facilities are operational; however, as xenophobic sentiments continue to simmer in the southern province, Brabant is slowly falling behind on meeting the deadlines set by law.

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