Dramatic fire in the Erfurt slaughterhouse: Homeless people stand in front of ruins!

Dramatic fire in the Erfurt slaughterhouse: Homeless people stand in front of ruins!

A dramatic event shakes Erfurt: On Tuesday, June 17th, a devastating fire broke out in the old slaughterhouse, which raged for more than 24 hours. The black column of smoke was seen for miles and announced the disaster. Although the flames have now been deleted, the fire has serious consequences for the homeless people who had been looking for refuge there for decades. The slaughterhouse is now completely destroyed and leaves many questions about the future of those affected. thuringia Have lost everything.

At least a temporary solution seems to be in sight: a lawn area within a walkway to the previous area is soon to be equipped with mobile toilets and possibly tents in order to enable the homeless person to give a temporary place to stay. The city of Erfurt is also planning to develop new strategies in dealing with homelessness. These developments are urgently needed because the low number of social housing has also been alarming in recent years. According to Statista , the number of social housing has almost halved between 2006 and 2023.

The Erfurt police authority has already taken steps to persuade the remaining homeless people to leave the site. Police chief Maik Haselow explains that talks are held in order to achieve a regular evacuation. Head of the Union Heike Langguth has threatened an evacuation as a last remedy if the voluntary cooperation does not succeed. The previous experiences with the site show that there were often fires and that the police and fire brigade had to drive many major operations mdr

social challenges

homelessness is one of the most visible forms of absolute poverty in Germany, especially in large cities. At the beginning of 2024, around 532,000 people lived in Germany without their own living space. Not everyone of them is homeless; Many can be found in collective accommodation or life with relatives. The steadily increasing rents contribute significantly to the housing shortage, and many risk losing their home by rent debts Statista In view of these alarming numbers, the situation in Erfurt is an important example of the challenges with which society is confronted. It remains to be hoped that the city can offer the necessary support to help the homeless people from their precarious situation and to give them a perspective.