Fire in the old slaughterhouse: Homeless people in Erfurt face nothing!

Fire in the old slaughterhouse: Homeless people in Erfurt face nothing!

Erfurt, Deutschland - in Erfurt there is great dismay after the devastating fire in the old slaughterhouse, which broke out on June 17th. For over 24 hours, the fire brigade fought the flames, the black column of smoke was visible for miles. Fortunately, no people were injured, but for the approximately 40 homeless people who had found refuge on the site, the destruction has dramatic consequences. The former building in which they lived for many years is now completely burned down. While the city of Erfurt is trying to build a new building, those affected face a big one in view of this catastrophe. Thuringia24 reports that according to Caritas director Philipp Nitsche, the loss for homeless people is particularly hard, but also their personal Have lost.

Caritas has already started a call to solidarity and asks the population for donations. Sleeping bags, clothing and other necessary utensils are now urgently required. Numerous donors have agreed to help, which illustrates the cohesion in the Erfurt population. The Caritasdienst has a daily meeting in the government street, which is open around the clock and offers warm meals every day, protected rooms and social consultations. In addition, the premises are now being renovated in operation after more than 30 years in order to meet the needs of people in need. This underlines the important role of Caritas in the region, especially in crisis situations.

Transitional solutions for those affected

The city administration has set up emergency accommodation for the people affected by the fire at short notice. In order to bridge the transition period, mobile toilets and possibly tents are available within walking distance of the previous terrain. At the same time, you are in close contact with those affected to organize voluntary removals. This is an important step to ensure that nobody has to live on the street. The city has also prepared to develop new strategies in dealing with homelessness in order to be able to better meet future challenges.

The topic of apartment and homelessness is becoming increasingly urgent at the federal level. [Diakonie] (https://www.diakonie.de/wissen-kompakt-wohnungs- und-objectlessness) informs that there are around 800 offers for homeless people across Germany, including emergency shelters and advice centers. Road educators do valuable work by contacting those affected directly and offering support. Rental debts, economic emergencies and critical life events often lead to homelessness, and sustainable solutions are required. The Diakonie actively campaigns for affordable living space and would like to eliminate the homelessness in Germany by 2030.

The situation in Erfurt impressively shows how important the cooperation between urban institutions and social organizations is. The fire in the old slaughterhouse has not only destroyed a place of refuge, but also illustrates the need to ensure the vulnerable groups in society even better in the future. Hopefully we can help with solidarity and a clear plan of action.