According to their spokesman, Rainer Klug, the fire brigade was called at around 10am to attend a fire in an apartment. “We could already tell on the way there that this was clearly a larger incident and therefore raised the alert level,” said Klug at the scene of the fire. The two-storey house was already completely alight when the fire brigade arrived. Flames could be seen everywhere: “From the ground floor to the roof,” said Klug.

The fire fighters used a turntable ladder and several fire hoses to extinguish the fire, bringing the fire under control about an hour after their arrival. The fire brigade then had to remove part of the roof because of extensive hotspots in the roof area. This was also done to prevent the flames spreading to a directly adjacent multi-family house.

The fire brigade said there was no one in the house at the time. According information given to the General Anzeiger, the person living in the house was out shopping and returned while the fire brigade were there. Klug said a 77-year-old neighbour had inhaled smoke, but did not need to be taken to hospital. The emergency services attended to her in her home.

The fire brigade took regular readings of toxic substance levels because of the large amount of smoke that developed. These did not show any dangerous levels and Klug said the public warning was a precautionary measure. At 12.15pm the fire brigade used, among other methods, the new emergency App “Nina” (see below) to give the all clear.

The source of the fire was still unclear on Thursday. A spokesman from the police control room said the house still could not be entered on Thursday afternoon because of the heat and risk of collapse. The fire brigade said it would likely have to be completely demolished. Fire investigators are to begin work soon.

(Orig. text: Jens Kleinert; fse; translated by Kate Carey.)