Three people killed, two critically injured after fire in Dusseldorf
Three people died and 16 others were injured in an explosion and fire in the western German city of Dusseldorf in the early hours of Thursday.
Two of the injured people have life-threatening injuries, the emergency services said.
The fire brigade was alerted after residents heard a huge bang. Neighbouring houses were affected by flying debris and the blast wave. Flames quickly spread from a shop on the ground floor of the six floor apartment block.
The building's stairwells were blocked, so firefighters used three turntable ladders to rescue residents from balconies.
"We have carried out a massive rescue operation," said a fire service spokesperson.
The fire brigade also looked after around 70 people from neighbouring buildings on site, supported by counsellors. Residents praised the quick and professional response of the emergency services.
Three men were found dead inside the apartment block. Only one of them has been identified so far.
More than 100 firefighters were deployed in the operation.
A police spokesman said that investigations were under way to clarify whether the fire was an accident or caused by a technical defect, for example.
The interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Herbert Reul, said in the state parliament that the cause of is completely unclear. There are currently "no indications of anything at all," he said.
The street in front of the building was still strewn with rubble and shards of glass several hours after the explosion.
Dusseldorf Mayor Stephan Keller visited the scene and spoke of the "immeasurable suffering" that residents had experienced. He praised the "rapid intervention" of the firefighters, who he said had saved many lives.
