Two women and a man died in a fire in an apartment building in Markgröningen on Wednesday morning. Two other people are in mortal danger.
Three people died in a fire in an apartment building in Markgröningen (Ludwigsburg district) early on Wednesday morning. The dead are a 38-year-old and a 68-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man. All three lived in the house affected by the fire, the police and public prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.
In addition, two other people suffered life-threatening injuries and another person sustained minor injuries in the fire. Investigators did not comment on her further identity. “There is currently no new information about the health status of the three injured people.” According to the police, three dogs were also recovered dead. The police have now started further investigations into how the fire started.
Heavy smoke was probably fatal for some victims
What is known is that the fire broke out between midnight and 1 a.m. in a ground floor apartment in the three-story house. The police are currently assuming that some of the victims were killed by rising smoke, said a spokesman. The fire was finally extinguished by morning. Firefighters recovered three bodies from the building. The injured were taken to hospital by emergency services. It initially remained unclear whether all of the dead and injured were residents of the apartment in which the fire broke out. The police initially did not want to provide any information about the age and gender of the victims. The relatives would have to be informed first.
Two buildings are uninhabitable, the residents can return to a third
Two neighboring buildings were also affected by the heavy smoke. Emergency services evacuated all three buildings. The apartment building and an immediately adjacent residential building are uninhabitable until further notice. The fire department initially took measurements in a third house. The police have now announced that the residents of this building can return to their apartments. The fire fighters’ work has now been completed, a spokesman told SWR. However, the fire brigade will initially remain on site with a fire watch.
Forensic investigators are looking for the cause of the fire
After the fire on Wednesday morning in Markgröningen, three apartment buildings are no longer habitable. Three people were killed in the fire.
“It is now also a question of which buildings can be released again, which residents can return and which may need to be accommodated in the longer term,” said the spokesman for the Ludwigsburg police headquarters, Steffen Grabenstein, to the SWR. According to him, the forensic investigation of the house is now underway in close consultation with the public prosecutor’s office. An expert report may also be needed to determine the cause of the fire. The police are now interviewing residents and eyewitnesses. According to initial estimates, property damage amounted to around 700,000 euros.
Mayor of Markgröningen thanks the rescue workers
Markgröningen’s mayor Jens Hübner (SPD) was shocked by the fire and its consequences. In the SWR he also highlighted the work of the over 200 emergency services: “I am very grateful for the very quick response, which was able to avert something worse.” The city of Markgröningen is now taking care of accommodating the homeless residents of the three affected apartment buildings with friends or in hotels.
Broadcast on Wed, January 24th, 2024 6:30 a.m., SWR4 BW Studio Stuttgart
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2024-01-24 13:12:06
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