Chaos at St. Mary's Hospital Hamburg: Arson Suspect Arrested After Tragic Fire
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Elderly Patients, Aged 84 to 87, Perish in Fatal Hospital Blaze - Elderly patients, aged 84 to 87, pass away in unfortunate hospital blaze
In the darkest hours of the night, St. Mary's Hospital in Hamburg became a harrowing scene, a blazing inferno claiming the lives of three seniors and leaving numerous others injured.
Firefighters, arriving at the hospital, were greeted with desperate cries for help from windows. "It was a bloody mess," fire department spokesman Lorenz Hartmann admitted. A fire had sparked in a geriatric ward room on the ground floor, sending flames up the building's side to the floor above and shattering windows, spreading thick smoke throughout the neurological ward.
Three elderly men — aged 84, 85, and 87 — couldn't escape the devastating flames. Another patient was severely wounded, while a total of 34 individuals were injured.
Rescue through Smoky Hallways Challenging
The rescue effort was fraught with difficulties. Elderly patients in wheelchairs had to navigate smoky corridors while donning escape hoods. Patients who could move somewhat were rescued with aerial ladders or portable ladders.
A survivor shared their experience with the "Hamburg Evening Post": "We were ushered over to the emergency room. Those who could walk were told to do so. The others were pushed. It all happened pretty quickly and in an organized manner."
Ink-Black Visibility During Rescue
A police officer on the scene reported that despite their flashlights, firefighters struggled to see anything due to the dense fog of smoke and steam. The smoky corridors were so thick that some patients were initially left in their rooms, the danger of smoke inhalation in the hallways being even more perilous. Rescuers worked from both sides of House 2 of the clinic, trying to save patients from the four-story building. Hartmann couldn't confirm an exact number.
The fire department received the call around 00:23. When the first forces arrived on the scene, they requested reinforcements. Eventually, four fire engines with 160 firefighters were actively fighting the fire. Other aid organizations also contributed to the rescue, totaling 220 emergency services on site. The fire was extinguished after approximately 20 minutes, according to the spokesman.
Firefighters Struggle to Reach Affected Individuals
Despite the fire being on the ground floor, rescuers faced obstacles in reaching those shouting for help from outside the hospital. A kind of trench surrounded the building's basement, forcing firefighters in full protective gear to climb about 2.50 meters using ladders to reach a window, as reported by the police. The windows, made of plastic, were completely melted in the rooms Adjacent to the fire source.
A soot trail could be seen ascending all the way to the top floor. After the fire was put out, the glow of emergency lights illuminated the affected rooms as firefighters likely inspected for toxic gases, police reported.
Investigation Underway for Possible Arson
State criminal police investigators were present at the scene, examining the burned-out room even in the morning. The cause of the fire is unknown, and the police have launched an investigation while questioning numerous witnesses, with no expected findings announced for that day.
St. Mary's Hospital, a Catholic institution, is one of the largest hospitals in Hohenfelde and treats over 93,000 patients yearly, often taking care of the injured directly in their central emergency room. Only two patients were taken to neighboring hospitals, the fire department stated.
Suspect Arrested for Alleged Arson
Following the extinguishment of the flames and the rescue of the affected individuals, some rescuers themselves required assistance. A crisis intervention team, as stated by Hartmann, was caring for the affected individuals.
In the interim, a 72-year-old patient was arrested on suspicion of arson. Reports citing Bild and News.Az indicate that the suspect is a prime candidate in the investigation.
Overall: Arson, St. Mary's Hospital, Hamburg, Firefighters, Patient, Firefighting efforts
[1] https://www.focus.de/regional/hamburg/brandeinsatz-st-marys-krankenhaus-in-hohenfelde-stirbt-eine-person-ders-fall-unfall-oder-tatenlaeufer_id_140180085.html[2] https://www.bild.de/hohenfelde/hohenfelde/brandeinsatz-groesse-kiepenkerl-evakuierte-st-marys-krankenhaus-hohenfelde-abbild-255081686.bild.html[3] https://www.news.az/os Gemeinderat-beschließt-St-Maria-Krankenhaus-Industriebereich-mit-gegenbau-zu-sanieren_a75836933[4] https://www.welt.de/regionales/niedersachsen/article248066026/Brand-im-Hamburger-St.-Marys-Krankenhaus-Hier-wohnte-der-Beschuldigte.html
- The arson suspect, a 72-year-old patient at St. Mary's Hospital, has been arrested following the tragic fire.
- In the realm of general news, investigators are probing into the cause of the fire, examining the affected room, and questioning multiple witnesses.
- The 'Community policy' may need to address medical-conditions and health-and-wellness aspects as a result of the fire, considering the elderly and disabled who required assistance during the evacuation and rescue. Crime-and-justice investigations are ongoing, focusing on the alleged arson incident.
