Berlin high rise fire footage captured a woman making a terrifying leap as flames closed in behind her.
A woman narrowly escaped a burning 21 story apartment building in Berlin by jumping from an 11th floor window. A firefighter caught her in a small rescue basket positioned about two floors below.
The dramatic rescue unfolded Friday morning in Berlin’s Friedrichshain district. Video showed the woman clinging to a window ledge while flames and thick black smoke poured from a nearby opening.
Firefighters Could Not Reach the 11th Floor
The Berlin Fire Brigade arrived to find the woman already sitting or hanging near the window. The building stood on Straße der Pariser Kommune, close to the busy Ostbahnhof railway station.
The crew raised an aerial ladder toward her apartment. However, the equipment could only reach approximately the ninth floor.
Firefighters positioned a rescue basket below the woman. The basket reportedly measured only one to two square metres.
With flames spreading behind her, the woman released her grip and fell toward the basket. A firefighter waiting inside caught her before the crew lowered them to safety.
Bystanders applauded after seeing that she had survived. A fire department spokesperson described the rescue as extremely close and said crews rarely experience such a dramatic operation.
Woman and Firefighter Suffer Injuries
The woman suffered minor injuries during the escape, according to German broadcaster rbb24. A firefighter involved in catching her was also reportedly injured.
Authorities said at least 13 people suffered injuries during the fire. Most experienced the effects of smoke inhalation.
Ambulances transported five people to hospitals for further treatment. Officials did not immediately release detailed information about their conditions.
Emergency crews also prepared a rescue helicopter, but they did not need to use it. Firefighters placed inflatable rescue cushions outside the building as another precaution.
Fire Started on an 11th Floor Balcony
The fire began at approximately 6.27am on a balcony connected to an apartment on the 11th floor. Flames quickly spread inside the apartment and reached the floor above.
Images from the scene showed heavy black damage around the original apartment. Smoke and heat also scarred several floors above it.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Firefighters found extensive smoke damage inside the 11th floor apartment.
The Associated Press reported that crews brought the blaze under control in less than three hours.
More Than 100 Residents Needed Assistance
Firefighters led many residents out through the building’s stairwell. Crews provided assistance or medical checks to 113 people during the emergency.
Heavy smoke had spread through parts of the high rise. Firefighters remained at the building to ventilate rooms, check for hidden flames and complete final extinguishing work.
Emergency officials also arranged psychological support for residents affected by the frightening incident. Some apartments could not be immediately occupied because of fire and smoke damage.
More than 130 firefighters and emergency workers responded to the Friedrichshain blaze. Their operation required rescue, evacuation and medical teams working at the same time.
Second Berlin Fire Stretched Emergency Resources
Another high rise fire broke out in Berlin’s Reinickendorf district during the same morning. That fire began on the fourth floor of a ten story building and spread to the floor above.
Firefighters evacuated about 70 people from the second building. One person suffered a minor injury.
The two emergencies tied up about 300 Berlin firefighters, according to rbb24. Volunteer fire crews responded to smaller incidents across the city while the major operations continued.
This second blaze explains why officials described the morning as especially demanding. However, the two fires have not been reported as connected.
Footage Shows a Rescue With Little Room for Error
Some early reports described the woman as jumping approximately 35 metres to the ground. The footage and local reports show that she instead jumped into an aerial basket about two floors below.
The distinction does not reduce the danger. The small target, intense smoke and flames left almost no room for error.
The woman’s survival depended on the rescue basket’s position and the firefighter waiting to catch her. A small miscalculation could have turned the escape into a fatal fall.
The viral footage captures only a few seconds of the emergency. Behind those seconds stood a large rescue operation that evacuated residents, treated the injured and stopped the fire from spreading further.