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Christmas Fires Across German-Speaking Regions Leave Two Dead as Inquiries Continue

Investigators are examining causes following large holiday deployments by emergency services.

Overview

  • In Reinheim-Spachbrücken, a 67-year-old man was found during firefighting and died at the scene after a late‑evening apartment blaze on December 25, with the criminal police leading an open investigation into the fire and the precise cause of death.
  • Roughly 80 responders with nearly 30 vehicles tackled difficult interior conditions in the Reinheim building, evacuated other residents to a local multipurpose hall, and reported no additional injuries.
  • Police in Hof confirmed that a 54-year-old injured in a December 22 apartment fire died on Christmas Day, with no current indications of third‑party involvement as inquiries continue.
  • In Kleve, a fire at the Villa Nova restaurant was provisionally traced to a technical defect in an outdoor cooling container, and an alarm enabled visitors and staff to evacuate safely without injuries.
  • In Leipzig, a garden shed burned completely and poor water supply required additional engines as police probe the cause, while in Kärnten firefighters rescued a woman from a smoke-filled stairwell after a kitchen fire and she was hospitalized.