Three people – possibly children – died on Thursday morning in a residential building fire in the small Black Forest town of Gernsbach in Baden-Württemberg (the star reported). Since then, the police have been investigating the cause of the fire in the house, which was formerly used as an inn.
Among other things, fire investigators were on site in the ruins in the rural district of Reichental to secure traces. In addition, witnesses should be questioned. Police now believe an argument broke out before the fire during a celebration between two families in the building. Local residents called the police because of the noise. “After two police patrols arrived in Reichental at around 2:45 a.m., the building was already on fire,” it said in a statement. However, the officials emphasized: “Whether there is a connection between the reported dispute and the outbreak of the fire is currently just as unclear as the cause of the fire itself.”
A large contingent of fire brigade, Red Cross, technical relief organization and police rushed to the scene of the fire after the alarm was raised. Among other things, three residents, including a one-year-old toddler, were rescued from the roof of the house. “Others tried to abseil to the outside with a cut cable,” police said. According to the latest information, a total of 16 people were able to escape the flames and smoke. Three children aged four, eight and 14 remained missing.
Hours after the start of the operation, rescuers from the fire department discovered three “corpses burned beyond recognition” in the burned-out attic and recovered them. Whether they are the missing children should be clarified in the forensic medicine department in Heidelberg. A final result will probably not be available until Monday, a spokeswoman for the Offenburg police headquarters told Stern on Friday.
Three people were injured in the fire and temporarily taken to a hospital, including a police officer. According to the police, the former hotel, which was rented “mainly to Eastern European working-class families and individuals”, is uninhabitable and in danger of collapsing. The Technical Relief Agency secured the building.
The fire tragedy caused horror in Gernsbach. “All the emergency services, authorities and organizations involved in the operation are very affected in view of the serious consequences,” said the police. “Residents and relatives are being looked after by the emergency crisis team.” Gernsbach’s mayor was shocked: “I am dismayed by this devastating fire. The residents of the house have my greatest sympathy,” said Julian Christ, according to the newspaper “Badische Latest News”.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the fire and the previous altercation to call (0781) 212820 and provide any video or photographs they may have.
Sources: Offenburg Police Headquarters, “Badische Latest News”, news agencies DPA and AFP
