Two unfortunate lives were claimed during an evening blaze at the Frankenthal city clinic in Rhineland-Palatinate, as reported by the Rheinpfalz police headquarters. This horrific event unfolded in the surgical ward's patient room, where fire fighters worked valiantly to contain the flames. Six individuals were hurt, three critically, with staff from the clinic and law enforcement among the casualties.
The blaze was first detected at approximately 8:20 pm, and the heroic hospital staff successfully evacuated patients from nearby rooms before the fire department arrived. Patients were subsequently transferred to other areas of the same hospital.
Parts of the ward suffered damage but key facilities like the intensive care unit, operating theater, recovery ward, and delivery room were unscathed. The hospital's operations overall remained unaffected.
Ludwigshafen's criminal investigation department has taken charge of probing the incident, and they're yet to disclose the exact death toll and nature of injuries, or the extent of property damage caused by the flames.
The fire department coordinated a massive response, deploying more than 100 personnel—firefighters, rescue services, and Frankenthal's disaster control team. Experts from the psychosocial emergency care team tended to emergency personnel, nursing staff, and relatives, providing essential emotional support.
With around 700 employees, the clinic offers 315 inpatient beds and day clinic places. The city of Frankenthal manages the healthcare facility.
Authorities are currently assessing the situation and working diligently to bring clarity to this tragic event.
