Elderly Man Dies Following Fire Incident in Kreuzberg

An 81-year-old resident of an apartment building on Urbanstraße in Kreuzberg has succumbed to severe burns sustained during a fire that broke out in his home. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, has been confirmed by the Berlin police.

The fire was first reported by a neighbor who heard a smoke alarm and noticed a strong smell of smoke in the hallway around 10:35 AM on Monday. Firefighters quickly gained entry to the apartment and extinguished flames that had erupted in the living room. Tragically, they discovered the elderly man unresponsive near the source of the fire.

Rescue personnel attempted to revive the man at the scene before transporting him to a hospital with serious burn injuries and smoke inhalation. Despite undergoing emergency surgery and receiving intensive care, he later passed away.

An investigation into the cause of the blaze has been initiated by a specialized unit within the State Criminal Police Office. As a result of the firefighting efforts, Urbanstraße was closed between Graefestraße and Jahnstraße for an extended period, affecting the bus service for line M41.