- Fire at an old people's home in Wildeshausen - 87 residents evacuated
Due to a fire in a technical room, a nursing home with 87 residents in Wildeshausen (district of Oldenburg) was evacuated in the early hours of Monday. A 73-year-old man was taken to hospital with suspected smoke inhalation, police and fire services reported. The severity of his injuries is not yet clear, but he was conscious, a police spokesman said. A 40-year-old employee and two 39-year-old first responders were also taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Batteries were burning in the technical room.
When firefighters arrived, highly toxic smoke had spread uncontrollably throughout the building via cable and ventilation shafts, posing a significant risk to residents. This led to a major operation involving over 350 emergency services personnel, including more than 200 firefighters from the region and over 150 personnel from the ambulance service and police.
The cause of the fire was burning battery packs in the technical room. The exact reason for this is still unclear. Residents were initially cared for outside the nursing home and then transported to the nearby fire station in Wildeshausen, where they received further medical treatment.
After thorough ventilation of the nursing home, residents were able to return to the facility later that night. The exact extent of the damage is still unknown, and investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.
The source of the fire was identified as faulty battery packs located within the technical room. To contain the fire and ensure the safety of the residents, the technical room was isolated during the evacuation.
