Fire in Berlin High-Rise Injured 5, Prompted Some Residents to Consider Jumping to Safety

A fire in a 21-story Berlin high-rise injured approximately five people and prompted some residents to consider jumping from the building before firefighters brought the blaze under control Friday morning, according to local media reports.

The extent of the injuries remained unclear. All residents were evacuated from the building.

One resident was forced to jump into a firetruck's aerial basket during the rescue operation. A fire department spokesperson called the rescue effort "dramatic." The distance of that jump was not immediately determined.

The fire started around 6:30 a.m. Friday in the Friedrichshain neighborhood near Ostbahnhof train station. It originated in an apartment on the 11th floor and spread to the unit directly above before being brought under control in under three hours. The cause of the fire was not yet determined.