Day in cell - Required: A man sets fire in Heidering Penitentiary - dead
A man who died in a fire at the Justice Detention Center in Heidering (Teltow-Flämig) set it himself, according to the Berlin Senate Department for Justice. The 29-year-old barricaded himself in his cell, as the Senate Department for Justice reported to the dpa upon request.
An employee reported the fire development at 1:08 am, the alarm was triggered at 1:09 am. The fire department was informed at 1:13 am, and the first rescue teams arrived at 1:23 am. They initially tried to extinguish the fire through the shattered window, as the rescue control center in Brandenburg an der Havel reported.
The cell was completely burnt out. The inmate could only be recovered dead. The autopsy is not yet completed, according to the Justice Administration.
The man had served several prison sentences, including for dealing in anesthetics. He had been in Berlin detention since 2022, with the expected sentence termination in 2026.
Four employees of the detention center were injured by smoke inhalation, two of them were taken to the hospital. A total of 55 emergency responders were involved in the over three-hour-long extinguishing efforts. The Justice Detention Center is operated by the State of Berlin. The "BZ" reported it first.
The fire that claimed the man's life in Heiding, a part of Teltow-Flämig, originated in the Justice Detention Center in Brandenburg an der Havel, where the control center for rescue operations is located. Despite the valiant efforts of the fire department, they had to enter the cell through the broken window due to the fire's intensity, as the inmate had not survived the blaze.
Subsequently, it was discovered that the man had a history of serving prison sentences, including one for dealing in anesthetics. His most recent incarceration was in Berlin, where he was expected to be released in 2026.
The tragic incident in the Justice Detention Center in Brandenburg has sparked concerns about fire safety measures within such facilities across the city of Berlin.
