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Fire kills 14 at German workshop for disabled Fire kills 14 at German workshop for disabled
(about 3 hours 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 seven people were injured in a major fire at a workshop for disabled people in south-western Germany.
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 blaze occurred at the centre run by the Caritas charity in the Black Forest town of Titisee-Neustadt, some 40km (25 miles) east of Freiburg.
The workshop is believed to have employed about 120 disabled people. About 50 people were believed to be in the building when the fire started.
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 is unclear, 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. The centre is reportedly used for woodwork and metalwork, but it is not known whether 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 blaze occurred at about 14:00 local time (13:00 GMT), and flames were first spotted on the roof of the modern three-storey building.
The entire building was in flames, local TV reported, and smoke was still billowing out more than an hour after the fire started. The fire quickly took hold and engulfed the building. Smoke was still billowing out of the building 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. More than 100 firefighters backed by helicopters were called to the scene - some, wearing breathing apparatus, braved the thick smoke to rescue a number of people trapped inside.
Firefighters wore breathing apparatus as they tried to reach those who were trapped inside. But police confirmed that not every one made it out.
"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 N24 television. He said it would "take days" for the investigation to get to the cause of the fire.
"We also have a large number of injured who have been taken to hospital." Police confirmed that seven people had been injured, mainly suffering from smoke inhalation, but none of the injuries were life-threatening.
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 offers range of workshops to people with both mental and physical disabilities.
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. Police have spoken of the bewilderment of many of the survivors by what had happened.
"It is devastating. We now have to find out how it happened," Mr Hinterseh told the local daily Badische Zeitung. The town's mayor Armin Hinterseh said the buildings were quite new. "It is devastating. We now have to find out how it happened," he told the local daily Badische Zeitung.