Berlin high-rise blaze injures five and forces residents to consider leaping to safety

Around 6:30 a.m. on Friday, a fire ignited in an apartment on the 11th floor of a 21-storey tower in Berlin’s Friedrichshain neighbourhood near the Ostbahnhof station. The flames spread to the unit above, leading to the evacuation of all occupants and injuring an estimated five individuals, though the severity of their injuries was not immediately known. Some residents contemplated jumping from their windows to escape the smoke, and one person was rescued after climbing into the aerial basket of a fire-truck.

A fire-department spokesperson described the rescue as dramatic, while officials could not confirm how far the person had jumped. The blaze was brought under control in less than three hours, and investigators have not yet determined its cause.