Three people killed in apartment fire in Germany

Three people were killed and five others injured in a fire early Tuesday at a multi-family apartment building in Bochum, in western Germany’s Ruhr region.

Firefighters were alerted at about 4:15 a.m. (0215 GMT), a Bochum fire department spokesman told public broadcaster “WDR”. The blaze had already spread widely by the time crews arrived.

Firefighters could not reach the upper floors via the stairwell because it was blocked by fire and smoke. They rescued two residents using a turntable ladder, two more with portable ladders and another person who jumped into a safety cushion.

During subsequent firefighting operations, crews found three bodies inside an apartment on the second floor.

Police said the cause of the fire remained under investigation, including whether the apartment had a smoke detector.