[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A woman in a high-rise apartment building in Berlin, Germany, narrowly escaped with her life after jumping from the 11th floor into a firefighter’s rescue basket two floors below during a major fire.
According to foreign media outlets including National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and Associated Press (AP), a fire broke out around 6:30 a.m. local time on the 14th at an 18-story residential high-rise in Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany.
The fire started on the 11th floor and quickly spread to the floor above. Flames shot out of several windows, and thick black smoke engulfed the building.
In video recorded at the scene, a woman can be seen moving out onto the building’s exterior from the 11th floor, gripping the window frame and the area around the window.
Hanging by the window, she tried to escape the flames and black smoke pouring from the neighboring unit. Below, firefighters were preparing a rescue using a basket mounted on the end of an aerial ladder truck.
She moved along the window frame for some time in an attempt to reach a lower floor, but could not find a foothold. With no way to hold on any longer, she jumped down. Fortunately, she fell directly into the fire truck’s basket and was rescued safely.
She suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
A total of 115 people were evacuated in the fire, and 13 of them sustained minor injuries and received emergency treatment at the scene. Some were taken to nearby hospitals for further care.
The fire was reportedly brought under control in about three hours, but the exact cause has not yet been determined.
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
