Two patients die in roof fire at Ludwigslust hospital; temporary roof ordered within 24 hours
A fire in the roof structure of a hospital in Ludwigslust near Schwerin killed two patients early Thursday. One other person suffered smoke inhalation and around 60 patients were evacuated.
The fire
A fire broke out in a patient room in the vascular surgery ward of the Ludwigslust hospital around 4:30 a.m. on 2 July 2026. The roof truss caught fire, and flames and smoke were seen pouring from the five-storey building. Emergency services were alerted and around 90 fire, rescue, police and medical personnel deployed to the scene.
Casualties and injured
Two patients died in the blaze. A spokeswoman for the Ludwigslust-Parchim district confirmed the deaths. One of the victims was in the room where the fire started, the other in the adjacent room. Initial police reports early in the morning spoke of 34 injured, but that figure was later revised down to one person with smoke inhalation. A police spokeswoman explained that the first tally included everyone flagged for medical checks, many of whom were subsequently found to be uninjured.
That building is part of our central heart chamber. It was a stab into one of our most modern building sections.
Evacuation and hospital impact
About 60 patients were evacuated from the building, five of whom were transferred to another hospital in Hagenow. The radiology department was not affected by the fire, but the extinguishing water damaged the technology in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory. The hospital has 160 beds and is the only clinic in the city, providing basic and standard acute care for the region.
Emergency response and political reaction
Firefighters, rescue services, police and hospital staff were working under exceptional circumstances, said Interior Minister Christian Pegel, who expressed his deep sympathy to the relatives. In the state parliament in Schwerin, lawmakers observed a moment of silence and brought forward a questioning of Health Minister Stefanie Drese so she could travel to Ludwigslust afterwards.
The fire service, rescue service, police and hospital staff are currently doing extraordinary work.
Temporary roof
District administrator Stefan Sternberg announced that work on a temporary roof would begin at midday and was to be completed within 24 hours. Sternberg said the measure was essential to restore the functionality of the central area of the hospital.
