A fire in an estimated 21-story residential building in Berlin’s Friedrichshain neighborhood prompted a large-scale emergency response after flames spread between apartments on the building’s upper floors.
The fire began around 6:30 a.m. on Friday, 14 August, in an apartment on the 11th floor before spreading to the floor above. Flames and heavy smoke emerged from several windows as firefighters worked to evacuate residents. One woman became trapped outside an 11th-floor apartment and climbed along the building’s exterior before dropping approximately two stories into the basket of an aerial ladder positioned below. A firefighter caught her, and she was later hospitalized with minor injuries.
The incident affected 115 people, with firefighters rescuing or escorting 25 residents to safety using fire-escape hoods, the building’s stairwell, and an aerial ladder. Thirteen people sustained minor injuries and received medical treatment, with some transported to nearby hospitals. The response involved 18 fire engines, two aerial ladder trucks, nine ambulances, and additional emergency resources. Authorities described the operation as particularly demanding because of the scale of the fire and number of residents involved. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
CVU will report on any additional as they emerge.
Read more at NBC News.