Schwerin (dpa / mv) – According to the police’s initial findings, unknown persons set fire in the basement of a five-storey apartment building in Schwerin, triggering a sometimes dramatic rescue operation. As a police spokesman said on Tuesday, shortly after midnight, about 30 residents of the affected stairwell had to be rescued from the smoke with turntable ladders. They could not return to their homes. Four residents suffered mild smoke inhalation and were taken to a clinic. The police are investigating on suspicion of serious arson.
According to the police, the fire broke out one hour after midnight in the basement of the prefabricated building in the Krebsförden district. The exact cause of the fire is to be clarified by a fire expert appointed by the public prosecutor’s office. Due to the strong smoke, all apartments on this staircase are uninhabitable for the time being. At night, the rescued were first accommodated in a bus and later in alternative quarters. The property damage was initially estimated at 50,000 euros, but could also be higher, it said.
