Legionella alarm in Hamburg 600 people evacuated from refugee accommodation

Water pipes contaminated with Legionella: 600 refugees evacuated
At the weekend, a refugee home in Hamburg had to be evacuated after Legionella was found in the water. The bacteria can cause serious illnesses. In the evacuation of the 600 refugees also broke out a fire.

Legionella and fire in refugee shelter
On Saturday afternoon, around 600 residents had to be evacuated from refugee accommodation in Hamburg-Bergedorf and distributed to other homes. Harmful Legionella had been found in the water pipes of the property. According to media reports, the relocation of refugees in the interior of the former DIY store triggered a fire for reasons unknown until now. According to the information, no one was injured, but the building is uninhabitable until further notice. The accommodation of the refugees in this hall was from the beginning under a bad star. Several residents had slept in protest before the accommodation, as the rooms were apparently not cleaned and partitions were missing.

Legionella were found in the water of a refugee shelter in Hamburg. When the refugees were evacuated, a fire broke out. (Image: stefan_weis / fotolia.com)

Bacteria can cause deadly diseases
Legionella are bacteria that can catch themselves in the mucous membranes and enter the lungs when inhaled, just like a flu. If it comes to an infection, it may remain symptom-free or cause only mild flu-like symptoms. In an emergency, however, the bacteria can trigger the so-called "legionnaires' disease" (med. "Legionella pneumonia"). This is a severe form of pneumonia characterized by rapid chest and headaches, coughing, chills and high fever. In addition, dizziness, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting can also occur. Only a few weeks ago, a man in Bremen died of water vapor on Legionella. (Ad)