On Saturday evening, a fire followed by an explosion in an apartment building in Essen, a city in western Germany, resulted in injuries to three individuals.
Firefighters, upon reaching the location, discovered a woman with serious injuries after she had jumped from a window to evade the explosion. She was immediately taken to the hospital with burn injuries.
The incident, according to preliminary reports, happened at about 10:15 p.m. local time (2115 GMT).
The blaze originated on the first floor of the building and subsequently spread to adjacent units, causing damage to two nearby buildings.
Essen, located in the Ruhr area of Germany, is a significant industrial city with a history deeply rooted in coal mining and steel production.
Over the years, it has transformed into a modern business and service center.
Despite its industrial heritage, incidents like this are not common in Essen, which has a robust infrastructure and is known for its stringent safety standards.
The occurrence of such an incident highlights the critical importance of fire safety measures in residential buildings, especially in densely populated urban areas.
Last October, avehicle attempting to evade a police checkpoint in southern Germany veered off a highway at high speed, resulting in a crash that claimed the lives of seven people.
Preliminary reports indicate that the overcrowded vehicle was likely transporting migrants.
The accident unfolded near Muehldorf, east of Munich, along the A94 highway, a route leading to the Austrian border. The vehicle deviated from the road, ultimately overturning.