The Schenefeld volunteer Fire Brigade near Hamburg, northern Germany, reports that on Friday, 30th May it was called at 16:21 by a fire alarm to a home for the elderly. On arrival smoke was pouring from a room on the top storey of the three-storey building. More crews were called. Fire-fighters evacuated 14 of the 98 residents, making use of a turntable ladder. One resident was already dead and two more died soon after. 163 fire-fighters and medical personnel attended. One fire-fighter and six residents were injured. The fire was extinguished by 17:50. Early reports are that the fire was started by a fault in a television.

Unlike the Nordic countries, Scotland and Wales, Germany does not require new care homes to be fitted with sprinklers. It was reported that a fire drill was performed every three months in this care home, and that the modern building met all the regulatory requirements. Yet three people died and many more were injured. There is no record of a fire in a sprinklered building leading to multiple deaths. Thousands of care homes in Europe, North America and Australasia are fitted with sprinklers.