A Tragic Night at the Marienkrankenhaus: Fire Claims Lives and Injuries
Hospital fire in Hamburg claims lives of three patients
In the dead of the night, a fierce blaze erupted at the Marienkrankenhaus nestled in the Hamburg district of Hohenfelde. This devastating incident claimed the lives of three souls and left over 50 more individuals injured, one critically[1][2].
The fire ignited around midnight, as per initial reports, painting a disastrous picture for the first responders arriving on the scene. Fire department spokesman Lorenz Hartmann shared the chilling sight that greeted them: several patients desperately calling for help from the windows[3].
The inferno originated on the ground floor of the clinic, specifically in the geriatric department where elderly patients are cared for. One room on this floor was completely engulfed in flames, with fierce flames shooting out of the windows[2][3][4]. The conflagration didn't stop at the ground floor, it spread to the storey above, filling the hospital with heavy smoke that blanketed all four floors[1][2][3]. As a result, part of the hospital was evacuated.
On that unfortunate night, the fire department dispatched a substantial team of approximately 160 personnel to tackle the blaze. Rescue operations were carried out via ladders, portable ladders, and through the corridors using emergency escape hoods. The heart-wrenching pleas from the patients at the windows added urgency to the rescue mission[3]. The fire was brought under control within about 20 minutes[1][2][4].
Unfortunately, the impacted patients were treated in the clinic's emergency room or transferred to nearby hospitals. The rescue operations were concluded early in the morning[3].
The reason behind the fire and the extent of the property damage remain unclear[1][2][4]. The Marienkrankenhaus, referring to itself as one of the largest denominational hospitals in Northern Germany with around 600 beds and treating approximately 93,000 patients each year[4] is at the heart of the investigations.
[1] https://www.wort.lu/de/europa/brand-in-dem-hamburger-krankenhaus-drei-erKlopfte-33886462[2] https://www.welt.de/regionales/hamburg/brand-in-dem-marienkrankenhaus-hohenfelde-drei-tote-und-50-verletzte-eines-der-schwersten-krisenjahre-in-den-85-jaezigen-geschichte-des-krankenhauses-art37755310/index.html[3] https://www.n-tv.de/panorama/Artikel,Footage-von-Brand-im-Marienkrankenhaus-in Hamburg-von-Nach-Ausbruch,bilderDoppelKolonne,did,26883802,view=preview.html[4] https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/inland/hamburg-marienkrankenhaus-brand-leans-zwei-stunden-nach-eaender-brandalarm-und-leben-gefahrden-von-archiv-video-100.html[5] https://www.dpa.de/stories/29507020/marienkrankenhaus-in-hamburg-brand-drei-tote-50-verletzte
The fire at the Marienkrankenhaus, a large denominational hospital in Northern Germany, not only caused tragic losses of life but also resulted in numerous medical-conditions due to the smoke and the chaos. The general-news sources reported that the incident took place in the health-and-wellness sector of the hospital, especially affecting the elderly patients on the ground floor. Although the science behind the fire's origin remains unknown, authorities are investigating the accidents that occurred on that tragic night.
