major fire
A huge cloud of smoke could be seen over the whole region on Thursday morning. An indoor playground in Recklinghausen is completely burned down. The damage is in the millions.
by Matthias Stachelhaus
Recklinghausen
16.32: Police report and end of the live ticker
Now the police report with a preliminary final report. According to current information, all people were able to leave the building unharmed.
The smoke column of the burning indoor playground could be seen far beyond the city limits of Recklinghausen. During the extinguishing work, Theodor-Körner-Straße, Dieselstraße, Feldstraße and Hochstraße had to be closed. The closures were not completely lifted even late on Thursday afternoon.
The fire-fighting operations of the fire brigade were not yet completed on Thursday afternoon. © Jörg Gutzeit / Media House Bauer
As a precaution, the neighbouring Rewe supermarket had also been cleared. On the nearby A43 the traffic could continue to roll – also the train traffic was not impaired.
During the mission there was also a police helicopter in the air. Work at the scene of the fire has not been completed by Thursday afternoon.
According to the fire brigade, a fireman was injured slightly during the fire-fighting work. In addition, a local resident with breathing difficulties is said to have gone to a hospital on her own, but has already left the hospital again.
The children’s world in Recklinghausen is on fire. The building partially collapsed. © Kathrin Grochowski / Media House Bauer
According to initial estimates by the police, the damage is in the millions. No information about the cause of the fire could be given on Thursday. The police have begun investigations into the cause of the fire.
All-clear for the residents is given at 3.47 p.m. by the Warn-App Nina. The “Warning of smoke gases and smoke precipitation” from the control center Recklinghausen is cancelled.
15.22 hrs: All Castrop-Rauxel firefighters on duty on duty
Although the fire is under control, the emergency services are still on site. According to the city of Castrop-Rauxel, the Castrop-Rauxel fire brigade is at the scene of the fire with an emergency vehicle, an emergency extinguishing vehicle and a tank extinguishing vehicle. All firefighters on duty are on duty.
The full-time fire brigade Castrop-Rauxel was also in action at the big fire of the children’s world in Recklinghausen. © Jörg Gutzeit / Media House Bauer
The fire brigade supply in Castrop-Rauxel remains guaranteed. The voluntary fire brigade currently covers this with two fire-fighting trains.
Meanwhile, an injury report comes from the scene. A firefighter was slightly injured during the operation in Recklinghausen and was admitted to the Elisabeth hospital. He was twisted during the mission.
14.11: Another part of the building collapses, fire under control.
Another part of the building towards Dieselstraße collapsed. This also affected the adjacent children’s playground. Where the fire had apparently been extinguished at first, new flames ignited. A total of around 120 firefighters are currently on site.
According to information from 24Vest.de, a resident who complained about complaints in connection with the major fire had independently arrived at Elisabeth Hospital. It is examined at present for a smoke gas poisoning. The rescue forces on site would have had to transport still no injured ones to the hospital.
The children’s world in Recklinghausen is on fire. The building partially collapsed. © Kathrin Grochowski / Media House Bauer
The district reports that the fire is under control. The remaining building remains are torn down.
The LANUV (Landesamt für Natur, Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz NRW) advises against the consumption of fruit and vegetables from the field in this area until it has been determined which substances have been released. Skin contact with the particles should be avoided.
13.27 h: Smoke odour and soot particles to Oer-Erkenschwick
The fire can cause odour nuisance and soot particle precipitation, which can reach as far as Oer-Erkenschwick, according to the district of Recklinghausen. The fire brigade’s measuring train is in action.
Because it cannot be ruled out that fire smoke may cause health problems, residents in the Recklinghausen districts of Hochlarmark, Süd and Grullbad should keep the windows closed as a precaution, the Warn app NINA reports. Air conditioning and ventilation systems are also to be switched off.
It is also asked not to block the emergency call of fire brigade and police by asking questions.
The NINA warning app asks residents in Recklinghausen to keep windows and doors closed. © Screenshot: Stachelhaus
13.17 hrs: Fire brigade moves forward to the source of the fire with excavators
According to the fire brigade, two families had spent the morning in the children’s world as well as some employees. There were also a handful of people in the local arcade. This was reported by the media house Bauer.
Because the building is highly at risk of collapse, the fire brigade has so far only extinguished the fire from the outside. A police helicopter is also in use. An excavator is now to be brought in and tear down the walls of the object to such an extent that the emergency forces can better reach the source of the fire.
There will probably be nothing left of the building after the fire has been extinguished.
12.35 p.m.: plant was in operation in the morning
The plant had been in operation in the morning, a spokeswoman for the emergency services explained. According to initial findings, however, all visitors could have left the building.
The cloud of smoke can also be seen from the stadium of VfL Bochum on Castroper Straße. © Jens Lukas
12.15 p.m.: There are no casualties
According to information from the command, there are no casualties, as the Recklinghausen district has just reported.
12.03 h: Building partially collapsed
According to the Recklinghausen district, the building collapsed partially. It is not yet clear whether people are injured and whether there are people in the building.