Fire kills three awaiting death at German hospice

A nighttime fire killed three terminally patients at a hospice in Cologne, Germany, police said early Saturday, DPA reported.

Police identified two of the dead, aged 71 and 81, but said they had not yet formally identified a third body. A fourth patient, aged 56, was admitted to hospital with serious injuries from the fire.

Nine patients with incurable illnesses such as advanced cancer were receiving palliative care at the three-storey hospice when the fire began late Friday in a patient's room, then gutted the entire upper storey. Firefighters took hours to bring it under control.