Kamień Pomorski homeless hostel fire
On the night of 13 April 2009, a fire broke out in a three-story homeless hostel in Kamień Pomorski, in north-west Poland. The building had been unsafe: it started as a one-story workers’ hotel, and two more floors with flammable materials were added later. Seventy-seven people were staying there that night, including workers and people placed there by social services.
The fire began around midnight. Firefighters arrived quickly, but by 00:43 the flames were too strong to continue evacuating. Forty-one people escaped; twenty were taken to hospitals. Many survivors jumped from windows because ladders could only reach the first floor. Children were helped to safety by their parents and others.
Twenty-three people died, including 13 children. Some victims were visitors, not just residents. The hostel was destroyed. It was one of Poland’s deadliest fires in living memory.
Three days of national mourning were declared. Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited Kamień Pomorski and promised new housing and aid for survivors. President Lech Kaczyński also visited. Condolences came from leaders around the world.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 06:10 (CET).