Explosion in Essen apartment building - people trapped?
At least three people are injured in an explosion and subsequent fire in an apartment building in the Steele district of Essen. The house is so damaged that the emergency services are unable to enter. It is currently unclear whether there are any residents inside.
According to initial findings, three people have been injured in an explosion and fire in an apartment building in Essen. One woman jumped out of the window to save herself, said a fire department spokesman. When the fire department arrived, she was lying seriously injured in the street. She was taken to hospital with burns. Two residents from the neighboring house were initially treated on site by the emergency services and were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
According to the fire department, there may still be people in the building. As the structure of the two-storey house was destroyed, the emergency services are not yet able to enter the building, said a fire department spokesperson. It cannot be ruled out that there are still people inside. According to the police, five residents are registered in the house.
"You can't survive the violence that took place here," said the spokesperson. The firefighters have so far only been able to see the inside of the house from the outside. In addition, the fire has not yet been extinguished. Three other people were also attended to by the emergency services, but were uninjured. "The street resembles a field of rubble, everything is full of debris and broken glass," said the fire department spokesperson. The cause of the explosion in the Steele district is still unclear. According to initial findings, the incident happened in an apartment on the first floor. From there, the fire immediately spread to the other apartments in the building. The house and a neighboring building were damaged.
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Despite the unfortunate circumstances, the international community has shown interest in providing aid and assistance to those affected. Given the extent of the damage, it might be challenging for Essen's residents to return to their homes in the near future.
Source: www.ntv.de
