3 killed, 2 critically injured after fire in Dusseldorf

Three people have died and two others were critically injured in a fire in the western German city of Dusseldorf overnight, reported Xinhua.

According to the local fire brigade, a kiosk in a residential building in the Flingern neighbourhood caught fire overnight. The cause of the fire is not yet known.

By the time emergency services arrived at the scene, the kiosk on the ground floor was already fully alight and flames had reached the first floor of the apartment block.

Several people standing on balconies were rescued by the firefighters as smoke filled the building.

Three people were found dead inside the apartment block, while 16 people were hospitalized, including the two with critical injuries.

More than 100 firefighters were deployed in the operation, attending to around 70 people on site.

A police spokesman said on Thursday morning that investigations were under way to clarify whether the fire was an accident or caused by a technical defect, for example. Attempts to identify the deceased are also ongoing.

Further safety measures are currently being carried out on the building and the fire brigades are expected to be in action for several more hours.