Hemer (NRW) – In the Sauerland region of Hemer (NRW), a house exploded and collapsed on Friday evening – at least four people suffered serious injuries and three others suffered minor injuries!
Search and rescue of buried people is ongoing
According to witnesses, shortly before 7 p.m. there was a huge bang in the Westig district, which rattled the surrounding windows. The walls of the house collapsed.
From the air, the full extent of the tragedy becomes visible
Andreas Schulte, spokesman for the Hemer fire brigade: “Eight people live in the building. When the first forces arrived, one person was taken to safety with serious injuries.” There should be no danger to life.
There is contact with three buried people, Schulte said: “The rescue is very difficult. The situation is serious, we are fighting against time.”
A large contingent of rescuers is on site
A dog struck another spot, and a fourth buried person is suspected here. So far no contact has been made.
According to a police spokeswoman, it is still unclear where other residents are and whether they may also have been buried under the rubble.
Drones are also used
According to initial findings by the police, escaping gas could have triggered the explosion. Gas was still escaping when firefighters arrived. Flames were also reported.
A pile of rubble where a house used to stand
The first emergency calls came at 6:57 p.m. The fire brigade triggered a major alarm, reinforcements from all over the district rushed to the scene of the accident. Heavy equipment is to move away the huge debris. Helpers from the Technical Relief Agency were also alerted, dogs, drones and helicopters are also used.
The outbuildings of the collapsed house were evacuated
The residents of the neighboring houses were brought to safety. A structural engineer examines these buildings for their stability.