A major fire at a German nightclub near the French border forced the evacuation of 750 people, with three requiring minor medical attention.
KEHL: A major fire ripped through a nightclub in the German border city of Kehl in the early hours of Sunday, forcing the evacuation of around 750 people.
The blaze began at approximately 3:45 am local time and quickly spread across the entire building, according to a police statement.
All patrons managed to leave the building unassisted, with emergency services treating three people for minor injuries at the scene.
Dramatic images published in German media showed flames engulfing the roof of the club, which is situated in an industrial area of the city.
The incident evoked memories of a deadly fire at a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana on New Year’s Day, which killed 41 people and injured 115.
Located directly across the Rhine River from the French city of Strasbourg, the Kehl nightclub is a popular destination for visitors from both sides of the border.
Unlike the Swiss tragedy, the evacuation in Kehl proceeded smoothly and efficiently, according to witness accounts.
“All of a sudden we heard: there’s a fire,” one reveller told the local French newspaper DNA, adding that announcements were made in German, French and English.
The paper quoted clubbers who praised staff for handling the situation “really well” and described the evacuation as “very quick”.
Authorities have opened an investigation into the cause of the fire, which remains unclear.