Tragedy struck in the early hours of Sunday when a fire erupted in the geriatric ward of the Marienkrankenhaus hospital, claiming the lives of three elderly patients and injuring around 50 others, according to local police.
The blaze, which broke out around midnight, swept through a patient’s room on one of the upper floors of the facility, sending smoke billowing through the corridors and triggering a massive emergency response.
Authorities confirmed that the deceased — two women and a man — were aged between 84 and 87. Three more victims remain in critical condition, with doctors battling to save their lives.
“Several elderly people with reduced mobility had to be evacuated along the corridors,” said fire service spokesman Lorenz Hartmann, highlighting the challenges faced by rescuers in reaching immobile patients amid thick smoke and flames.
READ ALSO: Egbin Power plant laments fire incident
Photos from the scene showed visible burn marks on the hospital’s facade and charred windows. Firefighters, numbering over 100, were seen battling the flames and assisting with the evacuation through the night.
The fire threatened to spread to the hospital’s first floor but was quickly contained before it reached other patient rooms. Emergency services credited their rapid response and coordinated efforts with preventing even greater loss of life.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with Hamburg police leading the inquiry.
This marks one of the deadliest hospital fires in Germany in recent years, raising renewed concerns about fire safety standards in medical facilities, especially those housing vulnerable populations.