Three patients lost their lives, and over 50 others sustained injuries in a fire that broke out last night at the “Marienkrankenhaus” hospital in the Hohenfelde district of Hamburg, Germany.
According to a spokesperson from the fire department, all three fatalities were adults. The report indicated that two individuals suffered life-threatening injuries, while 16 others were seriously hurt and 36 experienced minor injuries.
Firefighters were compelled to evacuate parts of the hospital due to the blaze that originated in one of its buildings. Some victims received treatment in the hospital’s emergency department, while others were transferred to nearby medical facilities.
The spokesperson mentioned that rescue operations have concluded and the fire, which started under unclear circumstances on the ground floor in a room within the senior care wing, spread to the first floor.
Smoke from the fire on the ground floor affected all four levels of the affected building. Approximately 160 personnel from the fire department were deployed, using both aerial ladders and ground ladders to rescue victims, along with utilizing smoke protection covers in the hallways.
Marienkrankenhaus is recognized as one of the largest church-operated hospitals in northern Germany, featuring approximately 600 beds and catering to around 93,000 patients annually.