Dozens injured: Three dead in fire at Hamburg hospital

A fire at the Marienkrankenhaus hospital in the Hamburg district of Hohenfelde claimed the lives of three patients and injured more than 50 people. All of the fatalities were adults, a fire department spokesperson told the German Press Agency. In addition, two people were critically injured, as well as 16 seriously and 36 slightly injured.

Parts of the hospital had to be evacuated due to the fire in one of the hospital buildings. Some of the injured patients were treated in the hospital's emergency room or taken to nearby hospitals. Rescue efforts have now been completed, and the fire has been extinguished, the spokesperson said early this morning.

For reasons still unclear, the fire broke out on the ground floor of the hospital in a room on the geriatric ward, which specializes in the care of elderly patients. The flames then spread to the first floor. According to a dpa reporter on site, one room in the hospital appeared to have burned down completely. The full extent of the damage was initially unclear.

The fire department spokesperson said the smoke caused by the fire on the ground floor spread to all four floors of the affected building. The adjacent buildings were also inspected, and patients housed there were examined.

The fire department was on scene with a large contingent of approximately 160 emergency personnel. The victims were rescued using turntable ladders, portable ladders, and through the corridors using so-called escape hoods. "Several people, patients, were at the windows, calling for help," said the fire department spokesperson. The fire was extinguished after about 20 minutes.

According to its own information, the Marienkrankenhaus is one of the largest denominational hospitals in Northern Germany. It has approximately 600 beds and treats approximately 93,000 patients annually.