Overview
- The court found no immediate fire danger in 2017 that would have warranted clearing the roughly 400-apartment complex overnight.
- The judges said the assessment by the City of Dortmund and its professional fire department was incorrect.
- The ruling relied on a court-appointed expert who documented numerous defects but saw no aggregated imminent risk.
- The presiding judge criticized the city for failing to examine step-by-step remediation options before ordering eviction.
- An initial July hearing was adjourned and later resumed for renewed questioning of the expert, and the 7th Senate refused revision.