Sad loss: Fire in the old slaughterhouse hits the homeless hard!

Sad loss: Fire in the old slaughterhouse hits the homeless hard!

Erfurt, Deutschland - A dramatic event occurred in the old slaughterhouse in Erfurt. On Tuesday, June 17th, a fire broke out that held the fire brigade in suspense for over 24 hours and produced a black column of smoke that was visible for miles. Although the flames are deleted, the incident leads to serious consequences - especially for the approximately 40 homeless people who have found their refuge there for years. The flames have completely destroyed the terrain, which caused Caritas to call for solidarity and donations. Sleeping bags, clothing and personal belongings have been lost, and Caritas Director Philipp Nitsche speaks of a painful loss for those affected Thuringia24 .

The terrain that extends in the Efurt east and comprises an area of ​​22,000 square meters is now a shadow of itself - only the walls of the former buildings are still badly damaged and broken glass and garbage are found everywhere. Mayor Heike Langguth has planned the demolition of the area for this June. It is currently evident that many homeless people have already left the place, but those remaining should receive a new area by summer. Langguth emphasizes that there are definitely social offers of help. However, these rules that do not want to adhere to all those affected reports MDR .

challenges and strategies

The city tries to offer temporary solutions to the homeless person: a lawn area with mobile toilets and possibly tents are considered as alternatives. The authority is also looking for low -threshold offers - if you think of models of other cities, for example the tent cities in Hamburg, this could also be a future -oriented way for Erfurt. Mayor Langguth is impressed by the small garden that some homeless people had created on the site, but the question of how it can go on explains Thuringia.

The homeless person who has been living without his own apartment for 20 years and a Ukrainian who does not speak German tell of her life on the premises. The man describes the stay there as freedom, but also dares to imagine a return to an apartment. For many homeless people, life on the street is an everyday reality in which they often feel excluded from society. While no concrete unbureaucratic immediate help of the city has yet become known after the fire, it is important to master current challenges together So the Diakonie .

Support for those affected

The Diakonie offers, among other things, personal support, advice and help when looking for an apartment and makes it clear that there are around 800 offers for homeless people nationwide. These range from emergency accommodation to social support programs. It is particularly important that municipalities are obliged to accommodate the homeless people without social service claims. The causes of homelessness are diverse: from an economic emergency to critical life events - the need for a robust social network is greater than ever to improve the living conditions of those affected and finally find a way out of homelessness.

The coming days and weeks will be decisive - not only for the homeless people who are now without protection, but also for the city of Erfurt, who has to go a new way in accommodation and support.