Fire alarm in Bad Homburg retirement home: Four injured and evacuation!

Fire alarm in Bad Homburg retirement home: Four injured and evacuation!

This morning a fire broke out in the Tatjana Gerdes House in Bad Homburg, which quickly called the fire department to the scene. According to a city spokesman, there were a total of four injured in the incident. Three people suffered smoke inhalation and had to be taken to hospital immediately. There is also a carer among the injured, which makes the situation even more tragic. A look at the emergency services shows that they were alerted by the automatic fire alarm system and were quickly on site to fight the fire.

The cause of the fire was attributed to a cable in the ventilation shaft. The fire department was able to quickly extinguish the fire on the third floor, but this floor remained uninhabitable for the time being due to the heavy smoke. The affected seniors had to be moved to other areas of the building, which required new accommodation. A total of 36 seniors were affected and had to be evacuated for safety reasons. A fire department spokesman explained that they were intensively searching for embers in the building and that the ceiling was being taken apart to finally clarify the situation.

Damage and traffic disruptions

The estimated damage caused by the fire is around 50,000 euros. The disruption to the drinking water and electricity supply on the third floor is particularly critical, which poses additional challenges for the upcoming renovation measures. In order not to hinder the emergency services, the Weinbergsweg, an important bypass road in the region, was closed.

Fire risks in care facilities

The incident in Bad Homburg sheds light on the risks in old people's and nursing homes. In 2022, 176 fires have already been registered in social facilities in Germany, which indicates that these places are particularly at risk. Over 700,000 people live in care facilities and are often physically or mentally disabled, which makes evacuation difficult in the event of a fire. Inadequate regulation of fire safety regulations contributes to the risk, as old people's and nursing homes are often considered unregulated special buildings without specific requirements.

To avoid such incidents in the future, effective preventive measures are of utmost importance. This includes, among other things, keeping escape routes clear, regular training of staff in fire protection and raising residents' awareness of how to deal with fire and electrical appliances. Requirements such as fire alarm systems and sufficient extinguishing agents are essential in order to detect and contain fires at an early stage.

The fire brigade and the responsible authorities are required to thoroughly analyze the causes and processes in such emergencies and to take measures to ensure greater safety in care facilities. Such fires must not become the order of the day; after all, the lives and health of many people are at stake.

The local population is called upon to avoid the closed paths and to support the emergency services in their work. Everyone can make a contribution to acting responsibly in crisis situations.

Further information about the incidents and their impact can be found in the reports from FFH and FNP, as well as fire protection measures in nursing homes TÜV Süd.