Hospital fire in Ludwigslust leaves two dead and dozens injured

A fire at the LUP Clinic hospital in Ludwigslust, in Germany's Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state, killed two patients and injured dozens more during a major early-morning evacuation on July 2, officials and early reports said.

The blaze broke out before dawn and prompted a large emergency response from firefighters and medical crews. Early reporting put the number of injured at more than 30, with one account citing 34 people hurt.

What happened

County officials later said the fire likely started in a patient room on the vascular surgery ward. AP reported that the blaze led to the evacuation of the hospital as responders moved patients and staff out of the affected area.

Later reporting quoted county officials saying one of the people who died had been in the room where the fire began, while the second victim was in the neighboring room. Officials also said one person suffered smoke inhalation.

Authorities described the situation as dynamic in the first hours after the alarm. The fire spread to the roof structure, according to early reports, adding to the scale of the damage and the urgency of the response.

Damage and disruption

Officials said the radiology department was not affected, but firefighting water damaged equipment in the heart-catheter laboratory. County leaders said the hospital and regional authorities were still assessing the full extent of the damage.

Landrat Stefan Sternberg said a temporary emergency roof should be installed within 24 hours to help restore function in the affected part of the hospital. That points to an effort to stabilize the building while repairs and inspections continue.

The hospital is part of the LUP clinic network and serves the Ludwigslust region, so the fire is likely to affect local care while officials work out how to route patients and keep services running.

Investigation and next steps

The exact ignition point remains under investigation. Early reports said the fire started in a patient room, while later reporting narrowed that to a room on the vascular surgery ward.

That detail is still being clarified, but the core facts are established: two patients died, more than 30 people were injured or evaluated after the fire, and the hospital had to be evacuated.

Officials are now focused on the cause of the blaze, the extent of structural and equipment damage, and how long hospital operations will be disrupted. Further updates are expected to clarify the final injury count and the pace of repairs.