A devastating pre-dawn fire at a regional hospital in northwestern Germany has claimed the lives of two patients, local authorities confirmed Thursday. According to reporting from Germany’s leading national news agency DPA, the blaze broke out at the medical facility in Ludwigslust, a town located roughly 100 miles northwest of the German capital of Berlin.
Citing a spokesperson for the Ludwigslust-Parchim district government, DPA shared that the two fatalities were both patients receiving care at the hospital. Early preliminary investigations into the origin of the fire point to a patient’s room as the starting point of the blaze. Among the most notable structural impacts, the hospital’s roof sustained significant fire damage before first responders were able to bring the situation under control.
In the immediate aftermath of the fire being detected, all patients and on-duty staff were quickly evacuated from the building to prevent further loss of life. As of Thursday, officials have not yet released a definitive count of people who suffered minor injuries during the incident. However, DPA’s reporting confirms that none of the people affected by the fire outside of the two deceased patients have life-threatening injuries. Investigations are still ongoing to determine the exact cause of the fire and the full scope of the damage to the facility.