Fire in Berlin leaves families devastated

A recent fire in Niater has left many dead and caused huge damage. Many are now wondering if more needs to be done to prevent this from happening again.

Chaotic scenes after a fire in Berlin

The fire in Berlin was found to be caused by a gas leak, and has left at least 57 dead after flames engulfed an apartment building. The Morning Herald reported on the devastation, with a fire brigade reporting:

"We are certain that 57 people are now dead, 15 more people were found by the fire brigade in the apartment building, with the final count of people being dead at 57 after 42 in our last press conference, we are also certain that most of the fire is out. The NBB has confirmed no more gas leaks in the building, and the rescue service and fire brigade have started the search operation for other bodies we have not seen. For that, we are declaring that the brand is mostly out."

The scenes of chaos and devastation plastered the pages of The Morning Herald, with many politicians from across the Orange Order sending their best wishes to all the families impacted. A cross-region inquiry is expected to be called to discover just how the gas leak emerged and what can be done to prevent it happening again.

Victims inside the apartment block reported to fire call handlers that they "couldn't breathe" and one call handler told TMH that they heard a "loud bang" as the caller fell to the floor.

The fire service has been praised for its fast and efficient response, although many in the region are concerned about the lack of safety standards that could have led to this unfortunate event. A Meercovian representative stated:

"Regional legislation is urgently required to ensure that all buildings in TOO are subject to strict building regulations and regular inspections. The carnage that was caused in Berlin was clearly the result of the neglect many buildings receive. We should count ourselves lucky that this is a fairly isolated incident. It shows we also need to move away from using gas."

Meanwhile, as families grieve, many are looking to the entire gas infrastructure in Berlin, as families elsewhere question if they too may wake up in flame and destruction. The government in Niater has been urged to take action.

In Meercovo, the government has already issued a warning to the construction industry not to make the same mistakes.