Several basement shacks had caught fire in the 13-storey residential building
From BZ/dpa
The house in Kreuzberg’s Bergfriedstraße is currently not habitable after a fire in the basement, the district office announced on Thursday afternoon.
The fire in the basement resulted in heavy smoke. A person was taken to a hospital early Thursday morning with minor injuries, the fire department said. Because the gas, water and electricity supply could not be ensured after the fire, the building was closed and cleared by the building inspector during the course of the day. “Up to 400 people are affected,” said the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district office on Thursday evening.
100 emergency services from the Berlin fire brigade were on site Photo: Spreepicture
The housing company Gewobag has set up a 24-hour security service on site so that those affected can take personal items out of their apartments at short notice. “The Office for Social Affairs provides assistance to those affected who cannot find accommodation elsewhere,” said the district office.
In the morning, several people were brought to safety by emergency services, according to the fire brigade. According to the information, so-called escape hoods were used to protect against smoke in eight cases.
27 residents of the house on Bergfriedstraße between Moritzplatz and Kottbusser Tor were taken care of in a bus. Residents reportedly called the fire department around 4:45 a.m. The operation lasted almost four hours and 109 emergency services were involved.
Shortly after the end of the extinguishing work, the police were initially unable to comment on the possible cause of the fire.