Lower Saxony - At least one dead in fire in container village for refugees
At a severe fire in a refugee container village in Buchholz in Nordheide, one person has died and a police officer has been severely injured. It is still unclear who the deceased person is – the lifeless body was found in the building. A total of 20 people have been injured, the police reported.
Initially, there were "indications of a fire hazard" in the accommodation for about 100 people in the Harburg district, according to a police statement. "We received a tip about a person igniting something," a police spokesperson said.
Two officers and two employees of the accommodation went into a living container and noticed a gasoline smell. Suddenly, there was an explosion. A fire broke out on the ground floor of the two-story building, according to the fire department. The accommodation with a total of 48 containers caught fire.
One Dead, Police Officer Severely Injured in Buchholz Fire
A firefighter reported that a police officer suffered severe burns. An employee of the accommodation also sustained severe burns, and a policewoman was injured. The firefighter could not initially say how seriously the policewoman was injured.
In the afternoon, about 150 emergency responders rushed to the refugee accommodation on Bremer Street. "Our priority was rescue operations, we didn't know how many people were still in the building at the time," the firefighter said. All containers were searched.
Container Village for Refugees Destroyed by Fire
The injured – including residents and residents of the provisional housing units – were treated on site and some were taken to nearby hospitals. The severely injured police officer was also taken to a hospital.
The fire was relatively quickly brought under control, the firefighter said. The firefighting and rescue operations were completed in the afternoon. Chaplains were on site.
To avoid hindering the rescue efforts, the police asked people to keep a wide berth from the area. The barriers were gradually lifted. "As soon as it gets cool enough, fire investigators will examine the site," the police spokesperson said. The cause is being investigated from all angles. The residents and residents of the container village are being accommodated in the Schützenhalle in Buchholz, where there are already other refugees living.
The fire incident occurred in Buchholz in the North Heath, which is located in the Lower Saxony region. The fire department was called to respond to the explosion in a refugee accommodation situated in Buchholz, specifically on Bremer Street. The explosion occurred in a two-story building, housing a container village, leading to extensive damage. The Harburg district had previously reported indications of a fire hazard in a refugee accommodation. The victims of the explosion include a deceased person, a severely injured police officer, and other injured residents and employees of the accommodation. The police are currently investigating the cause of the explosion from all angles. The affected refugees are being temporarily relocated to the Schützenhalle in Buchholz.
