German media report that three elderly patients of the Marienkrankenhaus in Hamburg died in a fire on 2 June. A fourth patient died later. The fire was started by a patient who set fire to his pillows. The fire spread from the ground floor to the first floor, with smoke filling all four stories of the geriatric wing. 220 firefighters attended, using ladders to rescue some patients.

None of the 16 German States requires sprinklers in healthcare facilities, despite tragic incidents like this occurring every year. Research and experience from other countries shows that sprinklers prevent fire spread from the room of origin. They also reduce the amount of smoke produced and cool it so that it contracts and does not spread so easily. Data from NFPA shows that sprinklers reduce fire deaths by 85% in healthcare facilities.