One dead in explosion at refugee accommodation in Buchholz
In the town of Buchholz in the Nordheide, in Lower Saxony, the police conducted an inspection at a refugee accommodation due to a possible fire hazard. Suddenly, there was an explosion and the building caught fire. Two police officers and an employee of the accommodation were injured, while one person lost their life.
At a serious fire in a refugee accommodation on Bremer Straße in Buchholz in the Nordheide, one person has died and a police officer was severely injured. The officer sustained severe burns, according to a spokesperson for the fire department. Additionally, a policewoman and an employee of the accommodation were injured in the Landkreis Harburg. A lifeless person was found in the building - it is still unclear who this was.
Initially, there were signs of a fire hazard in the morning, according to a police statement. Two police officers and two employees of the accommodation had then noticed a gasoline smell in the building. Suddenly, there was an explosion. The accommodation then caught fire.
Approximately 150 emergency responders rushed to the refugee accommodation on Bremer Straße. The operation is still ongoing.
Following the explosion, international aid organizations were contacted to assist with the displacement of affected refugees in Lower Saxony. The International Fire Service Association expressed their condolences and offered assistance in investigating the cause of the explosion.
