Five dead in hostage taking

A police spokesman said it appeared that the hostage taker and all of his hostages were dead when they entered the building.

"Special forces broke into the apartment after smelling smoke and found four dead bodies. Probably one of them is the gunman," the Reuters news agency quoted the spokesman as saying. A further victim, a woman, later died of her injuries in hospital.

Shots were heard at about 9 a.m. local time as a man barricaded himself and a group of hostages into an apartment building, police said.

German television news channel NTV reported that the hostage taker had at least one hand grenade, although police could not confirm this. The channel said reported that the man was a hunter, who was in possession of several weapons. 

A bailiff carrying out eviction proceedings at the address was understood to have been present, police said earlier, along with a locksmith, a caretaker and the new home owner.

Before the bodies were discovered, police said they had not been able to make contact with the man. 

rc/mz (AFP, AP, Reuters)