Billstedt Care-Home Fire Kills 78-Year-Old as Police Suspect Lighter Misuse

Overview

• The blaze broke out Friday evening around 8 p.m. in a third-floor room of a senior care home in Hamburg's Billstedt district.
• Police say early findings point to improper use of a lighter by the resident, noting the man's bed was already burning intensely when crews arrived.
• Firefighters rescued the 78-year-old via aerial ladder, and he died later that night in the hospital.
• An 81-year-old roommate was evacuated via the stairwell, treated for smoke inhalation, and kept in the hospital for observation.
• About 70 emergency personnel quickly brought the fire under control, and eight other residents on the floor were evacuated without injury.