A man was critically injured in an explosion in a dormitory for the needy in Hamburg-Stellingen. The accident on Thursday evening occurred on the first floor of the five-story building, as a fire department spokesman said. "In the interior there are clear signs of a massive explosion," said the chief of operations. There were mountains of rubble in the corridors.

The facade was also deformed by the pressure wave and pushed outwards, it said. A number of windows were shattered. The explosion caused a fire. How it came to the explosion was still completely unclear on Friday night.

The seriously injured suffered burn injuries and was taken to a special clinic. Seven other men were taken to hospital with mild smoke inhalation. 80 other people were evacuated and initially housed in buses. It will be checked whether this corresponds to the number of reported residents, said the head of operations.

According to a police spokesman, the building is an accommodation for male homeless people and refugees. Whether and when the building can be safely entered again was investigated during the night.