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Fire kills 14 at German workshop for disabled | Fire kills 14 at German workshop for disabled |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Fourteen people have been killed and eight injured in a major fire at a workshop for disabled people in south-western Germany. | |
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 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. |
About 50 people were believed to be in the building when the fire started. | About 50 people were believed to be in the building when the fire started. |
The cause is unclear, 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 is not known whether there were any flammable materials on site. | The centre is reportedly used for woodwork and metalwork, but it is not known whether there were any flammable materials 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 three-storey building. | 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. |
Alexander Widmaier, of the local fire department, said his firefighters were on the scene within six minutes but a "massive" amount of smoke had filled the building "extremely quickly". | Alexander Widmaier, of the local fire department, said his firefighters were on the scene within six minutes but a "massive" amount of smoke had filled the building "extremely quickly". |
More than 100 firefighters backed by helicopters tackled the blaze - some, wearing breathing apparatus, braved the thick smoke to rescue a number of people trapped inside. | More than 100 firefighters backed by helicopters tackled the blaze - some, wearing breathing apparatus, braved the thick smoke to rescue a number of people trapped inside. |
But police confirmed that not every one made it out. | 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 N24 television. He said it would "take days" for the investigation to get to the cause of the fire. | "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. |
The number of wounded has risen from seven to eight, but none are thought to be suffering from life-threatening injuries. | The number of wounded has risen from seven to eight, but none are thought to be suffering from life-threatening injuries. |
The centre is run by Caritas, a relief organisation affiliated with the Catholic Church, and offers a 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 offers a range of workshops to people with both mental and physical disabilities. |
"We know the colleagues at the scene will do everything to find out the cause for this terrible event," Caritas president Peter Neher was quoted by AFP news agency as saying. | "We know the colleagues at the scene will do everything to find out the cause for this terrible event," Caritas president Peter Neher was quoted by AFP news agency as saying. |
Police have spoken of the bewilderment of many of the survivors by what had happened. | Police have spoken of the bewilderment of many of the survivors by what had happened. |
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. | 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. |
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said on Twitter that she was "shocked" by the loss of so many lives. | German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said on Twitter that she was "shocked" by the loss of so many lives. |