Fanned by the wind, the building with approximately forty homes quickly turned into a sea of flames. According to the fire service, 180 residents have been taken to safety and many have been accommodated in a nearby building of the University of Duisburg-Essen, the newspaper reports. picture†
According to observers, it is a miracle that there were no deaths. Residents only had time to put on clothes and then had to flee in haste. Only smoldering remains of their homes were left on Monday morning.
Three people were hospitalized for smoke poisoning. No one is missing, the mayor of the city said. The fire broke out in an L-shaped building in the west of the city. It’s still a mystery how the fire could have spread from one apartment to another so quickly, but the high winds certainly played a part. A spokeswoman said the police will investigate the cause as soon as possible.