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Fire brigade on duty in Markgröningen: The fire broke out in a ground floor apartment

Photo: Karsten Schmalz/dpa

According to initial findings, three people died and two others were critically injured in a fire in an apartment building in Baden-Württemberg.

There was also one slightly injured person, said a police spokesman.

Initially, the police assumed that three people were critically injured.

The fire broke out early on Wednesday morning in a ground floor apartment in the house in Markgröningen (Ludwigsburg district).

The cause of fire was unclear for the moment.

Firefighters recovered three bodies from the building.

The injured were taken to hospital by emergency services.

It initially remained unclear whether all of the dead and injured were residents of the apartment in which the fire broke out.

The police are currently assuming that some of the victims were killed by rising smoke, said the spokesman.

According to police, the fire was finally extinguished on Wednesday morning.

However, the fire brigade remained on site to extinguish any remaining embers.

Forensic scientists are expected to visit the house during the morning and begin investigating the cause of the fire.

According to initial estimates, property damage amounted to around 700,000 euros.

phw/dpa