2 people die in Berlin after jumping from a building to escape a fire, authorities say

BERLIN (AP) — Two people died on Friday after jumping from a building in Berlin to escape a fire on an upper floor, authorities said.

An apartment on the 12th floor of a 15th-story residential building was ablaze when firefighters arrived, and they could see two people at the window with flames behind them, fire service spokesperson James Klein told regional public broadcaster RBB.

The pair “jumped out of the window very, very quickly” and died at the scene despite efforts to resuscitate them, he said. Another person was rescued via the staircase. More than 100 firefighters were deployed to fight the blaze, which was extinguished.

The burning apartment was more than 30 meters (100 feet) above ground level, Klein said.

There was no immediate word on what caused the fire, or on the identity of the two people who died.