Midtown Blogger/Manhattan Valley Follies: Firefighter Nation- Blast Blows Away German FF's

Blast Injures 12 German Firefighters

Fire and explosion at former air-raid shelter in Hamburg injured nearly 40 people.

Smoke rises from a burning former air-raid shelter in Hamburg, northern Germany, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015. Authorities say 27 people have been injured in the fire and subsequent explosion. (Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa via AP)

Published Tuesday, August 4, 2015

BERLIN (AP) — A fire and a subsequent explosion at a former air-raid shelter in the northern German city of Hamburg left 38 people injured on Tuesday, authorities said.

The city's fire service said the fire broke out early in the morning in a carpentry workshop in the six-story building that dates back to World War II, news agency dpa reported. An explosion occurred as firefighters tried to extinguish the blaze.

It wasn't clear what caused that blast, but around 100 tons of essential oils were stored in the building. The injuries ranged from smoke inhalation to suspected broken bones; 12 of the injured were firefighters and 19 people were taken to hospitals, the fire service said.

The fire brigade evacuated more than 60 people from nearby residential buildings. Rather than sending officers back into the building, authorities planned to flood it with foam to extinguish the fire.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Comment Now: Post Your Thoughts & Comments on This Story

Associated Press