4 dead, 18 injured in fire at German retirement home

BERLIN

A fire broke out in a retirement home in northwestern Germany, killing four elderly residents, and injuring at least 18 other people, authorities said on Monday.

The blaze broke out in the early hours of the day in a private seniors' residence in the small town of Bedburg-Hau, and quickly became out of control, a fire department spokesman told the public broadcaster WDR.

One of the injured was in critical condition, and a firefighter and a police officer were also seriously injured while trying to rescue elderly residents, authorities said.

At least 46 residents of the facility had been rescued, and 15 of them suffered minor injuries.

The fire department has not yet been able to provide any information about the cause of the fire.