Man dies in Dresden flat fire, second resident treated for smoke

A man died when fire broke out in a residential building in the Trachau district of Dresden, Germany, on Thursday, fire services said. Firefighters found him in a top-floor flat during the operation; the cause of his death has not been released.

The blaze began in a building set back from Cottbusser Strasse, with the first floor already fully alight when the first crews arrived shortly after midday, Dresden fire service said. Teams in breathing apparatus entered the building to fight the fire while others attacked it from outside using an aerial ladder.

A second man was treated by paramedics for suspected smoke inhalation and taken to hospital, fire services said. Rescuers also saved two pet tortoises from the building, according to WELT. Not all residents of the building could be reached during the operation, the newspaper said.

The fire was largely under control by the afternoon, but crews could not rule out that it had spread beneath the roof to a neighbouring building, fire services said. Difficult access to the cramped roof space was making it hard to check for hidden embers, and mopping-up work was expected to continue into the night, with firefighters still searching for pockets of smouldering material.

Around 80 firefighters, volunteer crews and paramedics were deployed. Police have opened an investigation into the cause of the fire. Industriestrasse, Wilder-Mann-Strasse and Cottbusser Strasse were closed for the duration of the operation, and drivers were asked to avoid the area and follow instructions from emergency crews on the scene.

The regional control centre issued a warning via the Nina and Katwarn apps because of heavy smoke, urging residents within 500 metres of the site to stay indoors with windows and doors shut and to switch off ventilation and air conditioning systems.