The Kamień Pomorski homeless hostel fire occurred in north-western Poland on 13 April 2009. The fire occurred during the night at a three-story homeless hostel in Kamień Pomorski (West Pomeranian Voivodeship), a town situated approximately 60 kilometres or 37 miles from the German border. 23 people, including 13 children,[1] were pronounced dead, with a further 20 sustaining an injury of some sort.[2][3] It was Poland's deadliest fire since a conflagration destroyed a home for the mentally ill in Górna Grupa in 1980 claiming the lives of 55 victims.[4]
The hostel, originally a workers' hotel, was previously described as an unsafe building.[2] It was a three-story structure originally built as one-story in the early 1970s; two stories made of highly flammable materials were added later.[2]
Survivors have reported that this was not the first fire to occur at the hostel. The address was also known to the police, as many people were housed in the hostel by the social services.[5] At least seventy-seven people were sheltered in the building while waiting to be provided with alternative housing, but the number of people actually staying in the hotel during the night of the fire was unclear.[2][3][6][7]
FireEdit
Polish firefighters searching for victims.
The fire is believed to have started around midnight on April 13 (23:00 UTC), but the first report was received by the Fire Department as late as 00:32 Polish Time (23:32 UTC) followed by reports to the police and paramedics. The firefighters arrived at 00:36 and helped to evacuate people, but despite a quick response arrived to find four-fifths of the hostel already in flames with hallways blocked by thick black smoke.[4] By 00:43 the fire escalated and the firefighters were unable to continue the evacuation. 41 people escaped and 20 were located in hospitals.[8]
Many of the survivors jumped out of the building, because the available rescue ladders could only reach the first floor.[3] Children were taken from their beds by their parents and hurled through windows as firefighters and onlookers grabbed them and brought them to safety.[2][4] Common injuries as a result of the fire included burns,[2] smoke inhalation,[2] and fractured bones.[4][6][7] Many of the corpses were charred beyond recognition, which caused the death toll to be underestimated at first.[2] Some of the casualties were visiting the building and were not necessarily permanently housed there.[5]
The hostel was completely destroyed[3] in a fire that the BBC called "one of the deadliest in living memory".[2] Images broadcast on television showed "huge flames reaching high into the sky above the roof"[3] and the "charred, gutted shell" of the hostel.[7] Several hours were spent extinguishing the fire, with twenty-one fire crews on hand to assist.[2]
The death toll was first announced as 21, but two persons were still missing – due to the way the building was evacuated and witness testimonies saying they were seen leaving during the fire it was unclear whether they had escaped. By the end of April twenty bodies and four pieces of bodies were found at the scene, and after DNA tests it was discovered that the pieces were the remains of the missing persons, revising the death toll to 23, including 13 children aged from 2 to 16.[9]
ReactionsEdit
Three days of national mourning were declared in Poland to begin at midnight following the fire.[2][4][7][10] The country's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, who was on an Easter holiday like many of the victims,[6] flew to Kamień Pomorski, promising new housing and aid for the survivors.[2] The country's President, Lech Kaczyński, also made an appearance.[2]
Some reports mentioned that an eight-month-old infant perished,[4][15] but it was later reported that it was in stable condition at the hospital.[16]
ReferencesEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kamień Pomorski homeless hostel fire.
^"Wiadomości – Wiadomości w Onet – Najnowsze i Najważniejsze Wiadomości z Kraju i Świata". Onet Wiadomości. Archived from the original on 2013-04-16. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
^ abcdefghijklm"Fire in Polish hostel 'kills 21'". BBC News. 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
^ abcde"21 killed in fire at Polish hostel". RTÉ News. 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
^ abcdef"Children thrown from windows as Polish hostel fire kills 21". The Daily Telegraph. 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
^ ab"21 dead as fire guts Polish hostel". ABC News. 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
^ abc. Xinhua News Agency. 2009-04-13. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
^ abcd"Hostel fire kills 21 in Poland". Irish Examiner. 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
^. 2009-04-20. Archived from the original on 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
^"Więcej ofiar pożaru w Kamieniu Pomorskim". TVN24 (in Polish). Retrieved 2020-11-28.
^"At least 21 dead in Poland hostel fire". The Irish Times. 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
^"President of Azerbaijan offers condolences to his Polish counterpart". Trend. 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-05-01.
^. 2009-04-16. Archived from the original on 2009-04-16. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
^. 2009-04-19. Archived from the original on 2009-04-19. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
^. 2009-04-18. Archived from the original on 2009-04-18. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
^"21 die in Polish hostel fire". Irish Independent. 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
^. 2009-04-20. Archived from the original on 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
October 19, 2023
kamień, pomorski, homeless, hostel, fire, occurred, north, western, poland, april, 2009, fire, occurred, during, night, three, story, homeless, hostel, kamień, pomorski, west, pomeranian, voivodeship, town, situated, approximately, kilometres, miles, from, ger. The Kamien Pomorski homeless hostel fire occurred in north western Poland on 13 April 2009 The fire occurred during the night at a three story homeless hostel in Kamien Pomorski West Pomeranian Voivodeship a town situated approximately 60 kilometres or 37 miles from the German border 23 people including 13 children 1 were pronounced dead with a further 20 sustaining an injury of some sort 2 3 It was Poland s deadliest fire since a conflagration destroyed a home for the mentally ill in Gorna Grupa in 1980 claiming the lives of 55 victims 4 Kamien Pomorski homeless hostel fireCharred remains of the homeless shelter in Kamien Pomorski PolandDateApril 13 2009 2009 04 13 VenueHomeless hostelLocationKamien Pomorski PolandCoordinates53 57 36 N 14 46 39 E 53 96000 N 14 77750 E 53 96000 14 77750TypeFireDeaths23Non fatal injuries20 Contents 1 Hostel 2 Fire 3 Reactions 4 See also 5 Notes 6 ReferencesHostel EditThe hostel originally a workers hotel was previously described as an unsafe building 2 It was a three story structure originally built as one story in the early 1970s two stories made of highly flammable materials were added later 2 Survivors have reported that this was not the first fire to occur at the hostel The address was also known to the police as many people were housed in the hostel by the social services 5 At least seventy seven people were sheltered in the building while waiting to be provided with alternative housing but the number of people actually staying in the hotel during the night of the fire was unclear 2 3 6 7 Fire Edit nbsp Polish firefighters searching for victims The fire is believed to have started around midnight on April 13 23 00 UTC but the first report was received by the Fire Department as late as 00 32 Polish Time 23 32 UTC followed by reports to the police and paramedics The firefighters arrived at 00 36 and helped to evacuate people but despite a quick response arrived to find four fifths of the hostel already in flames with hallways blocked by thick black smoke 4 By 00 43 the fire escalated and the firefighters were unable to continue the evacuation 41 people escaped and 20 were located in hospitals 8 Many of the survivors jumped out of the building because the available rescue ladders could only reach the first floor 3 Children were taken from their beds by their parents and hurled through windows as firefighters and onlookers grabbed them and brought them to safety 2 4 Common injuries as a result of the fire included burns 2 smoke inhalation 2 and fractured bones 4 6 7 Many of the corpses were charred beyond recognition which caused the death toll to be underestimated at first 2 Some of the casualties were visiting the building and were not necessarily permanently housed there 5 The hostel was completely destroyed 3 in a fire that the BBC called one of the deadliest in living memory 2 Images broadcast on television showed huge flames reaching high into the sky above the roof 3 and the charred gutted shell of the hostel 7 Several hours were spent extinguishing the fire with twenty one fire crews on hand to assist 2 The death toll was first announced as 21 but two persons were still missing due to the way the building was evacuated and witness testimonies saying they were seen leaving during the fire it was unclear whether they had escaped By the end of April twenty bodies and four pieces of bodies were found at the scene and after DNA tests it was discovered that the pieces were the remains of the missing persons revising the death toll to 23 including 13 children aged from 2 to 16 9 Reactions EditThree days of national mourning were declared in Poland to begin at midnight following the fire 2 4 7 10 The country s Prime Minister Donald Tusk who was on an Easter holiday like many of the victims 6 flew to Kamien Pomorski promising new housing and aid for the survivors 2 The country s President Lech Kaczynski also made an appearance 2 The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev 11 European Commission chairman Jose Manuel Barroso Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko 12 French Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy 13 and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner 14 sent condolences See also Edit nbsp Poland portalList of Poland disasters by death tollNotes EditSome reports mentioned that an eight month old infant perished 4 15 but it was later reported that it was in stable condition at the hospital 16 References Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kamien Pomorski homeless hostel fire Wiadomosci Wiadomosci w Onet Najnowsze i Najwazniejsze Wiadomosci z Kraju i Swiata Onet Wiadomosci Archived from the original on 2013 04 16 Retrieved 2019 04 12 a b c d e f g h i j k l m Fire in Polish hostel kills 21 BBC News 2009 04 13 Retrieved 2009 04 13 a b c d e 21 killed in fire at Polish hostel RTE News 2009 04 13 Retrieved 2009 04 13 a b c d e f Children thrown from windows as Polish hostel fire kills 21 The Daily Telegraph 2009 04 13 Retrieved 2009 04 13 a b 21 dead as fire guts Polish hostel ABC News 2009 04 13 Retrieved 2009 04 13 a b c At least 18 people killed in fire accident in Poland Xinhua News Agency 2009 04 13 Archived from the original on April 15 2009 Retrieved 2009 04 13 a b c d Hostel fire kills 21 in Poland Irish Examiner 2009 04 13 Retrieved 2009 04 13 Ludzie nie powinni tam mieszkac raport o tragedii w Kamieniu Pomorskim 2009 04 20 Archived from the original on 2009 04 20 Retrieved 2020 11 28 Wiecej ofiar pozaru w Kamieniu Pomorskim TVN24 in Polish Retrieved 2020 11 28 At least 21 dead in Poland hostel fire The Irish Times 2009 04 13 Retrieved 2009 04 13 President of Azerbaijan offers condolences to his Polish counterpart Trend 2009 04 13 Retrieved 2009 05 01 Swiat sklada Polsce kondolencje w zwiazku z tragedia w Kamieniu Pomorskim 2009 04 16 Archived from the original on 2009 04 16 Retrieved 2020 11 28 Nicolas Sarkozy przekazal kondolencje w zwiazku z pozarem w Kamieniu Pomorskim 2009 04 19 Archived from the original on 2009 04 19 Retrieved 2020 11 28 Kondolencje ministra Kouchnera w zwiazku ze smiercia ludzi w Kamieniu Pomorskim 2009 04 18 Archived from the original on 2009 04 18 Retrieved 2020 11 28 21 die in Polish hostel fire Irish Independent 2009 04 13 Retrieved 2009 04 13 Ludzie nie powinni tam mieszkac raport o tragedii w Kamieniu Pomorskim 2009 04 20 Archived from the original on 2009 04 20 Retrieved 2020 11 28 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kamien Pomorski homeless hostel fire amp oldid 1180402909, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
