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Fire kills 14 at German workshop for disabled | Fire kills 14 at German workshop for disabled |
(35 minutes later) | |
At least 14 people have died and "a large number" injured in a major fire at a workshop for disabled people in south-western Germany, reports say. | At least 14 people have died and "a large number" injured in a major fire at a workshop for disabled people in south-western Germany, reports say. |
Firefighters fought to rescue people and extinguish the blaze at the centre run by the Caritas charity in Titisee-Neustadt, in the Black Forest. | Firefighters fought to rescue people and extinguish the blaze at the centre run by the Caritas charity in Titisee-Neustadt, in the Black Forest. |
The workshop is believed to have employed about 120 disabled people. | The workshop is believed to have employed about 120 disabled people. |
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but local media reports that there may have been an explosion in a store room. | The cause of the fire is not yet known, but local media reports that there may have been an explosion in a store room. |
The centre is reportedly used for woodwork and metalwork, but it was not clear if any flammable materials were on site. | |
'Devastating' | 'Devastating' |
The blaze occurred at about 14:00 local time (13:00 GMT), and flames were first spotted on the roof of the modern building, the BBC's Stephen Evans reports from Berlin. | |
The entire building was in flames, local TV reported, and smoke was still billowing out more than an hour after the fire started. | The entire building was in flames, local TV reported, and smoke was still billowing out more than an hour after the fire started. |
About 50 people were reckoned to have been in the building, located some 40km (25 miles) east of the city of Freiburg, at the time. | |
Firefighters wore breathing apparatus as they tried to reach those who were trapped inside. | Firefighters wore breathing apparatus as they tried to reach those who were trapped inside. |
"We can tell you that we have 14 dead. The process of identification is ongoing," local police spokesman Karl-Heinz Schmid told rolling news channel N24. | "We can tell you that we have 14 dead. The process of identification is ongoing," local police spokesman Karl-Heinz Schmid told rolling news channel N24. |
"We also have a large number of injured who have been taken to hospital." | "We also have a large number of injured who have been taken to hospital." |
Police told the AFP news agency that six people had been seriously injured; other reports put the number of wounded at seven. | |
The centre is run by Caritas, a relief organisation affiliated with the Catholic Church, and the town's mayor Armin Hinterseh said the buildings were quite new. | |
"It is devastating. We now have to find out how it happened," Mr Hinterseh told the local daily Badische Zeitung. | "It is devastating. We now have to find out how it happened," Mr Hinterseh told the local daily Badische Zeitung. |