Berlin, 5 January 2024 (dpa/MIA) - One person has died in a fire at a hospital in the town of Uelzen, about 100 kilometres south of Hamburg in the northern German state of Lower Saxony.

22 other people were injured, six of them seriously, according to a spokesman for the fire service on Thursday night. The injuries were caused by smoke inhalation and burns. The fire brigade said the fire was quickly extinguished.

The fire broke out on the third floor of the hospital late on Thursday evening, according to reports. The blaze then spread to several patient rooms.

Numerous people had to be rescued from the hospital. Around 140 rescue workers were deployed to the fire.

The fire brigade said the emergency services set up a collection point where the patients were examined. They were then distributed to other wards in the hospital or taken to neighbouring hospitals.

It was not initially known how many people were affected by the fire and what damage had been caused.

Photo: MIA archive