Fires in German Apartment Buildings Leave Residents Injured and Homeless

Separate incidents in Bad Dürrheim and Mettmann caused injuries, significant property damage, and displacement of residents.

A fire in a Bad Dürrheim apartment building injured 11 people, including 10 residents and one firefighter, primarily due to smoke inhalation.
The Bad Dürrheim fire caused an estimated €300,000 in damages, leaving 15 of the 20 apartments temporarily uninhabitable.
Authorities believe the Bad Dürrheim fire was likely caused by burnt food in a second-floor unit, which was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.
In Mettmann, a fire and reported explosion in a fourth-floor apartment led to dramatic rescues of residents trapped on balconies by heavy smoke.
The Mettmann incident required 75 firefighters and additional emergency services, but no injuries were reported; the affected unit is now uninhabitable.