Major fire devastates Villingen-Schwenningen: millions in damage and injuries!

Major fire devastates Villingen-Schwenningen: millions in damage and injuries!

The old town in Villingen-Schwenningen is burning! A devastating major fire saw several buildings ablaze on Saturday evening and kept emergency services on tenterhooks. According to the North Sea newspaper The dramatic events began at 6:27 p.m. when the first emergency call came in. The fire, which started as a balcony fire, spread quickly and resulted in two of the six buildings affected partially collapsing.

The emergency services, led by fire chief Robert Friedrich, are currently in the final extinguishing work. Around 100 firefighters are on site to fight the flames and cool neighboring buildings using water fountains. The narrow streets and the dense old buildings make extinguishing work considerably more difficult.

Injuries and evacuations

Fortunately, there were no serious injuries to report in the frightening incidents. Four residents suffered minor injuries and two firefighters had to be treated in hospital. Another was treated as an outpatient. The affected residents have now found accommodation with friends and family members while the criminal police have begun investigating the cause of the fire.

The city administration has also asked residents to keep their windows and doors closed to avoid possible smoke pollution. With around 90,000 inhabitants, Villingen-Schwenningen is a lively town about an hour's drive east of Freiburg. In the darkness, a large column of smoke was visible over the city, which attracted large numbers of onlookers. Rescue workers therefore had to repeatedly remind people to withdraw from the danger zone.

Millions in damage expected

The extent of the damage is already estimated at several million euros. The city is therefore facing a significant challenge, as there are no comprehensive and uniform fire statistics for Germany, such as the site FeuerTrutz reported. It is clear that such events bring to the fore the importance of fire safety measures and information about the causes of fires.

Those affected remind us how quickly such an exceptional situation can find its way into our everyday lives. We will continue to monitor the situation and report on new developments and the necessary measures to improve safety in our cities.

Further information about the big fire in Villingen-Schwenningen can also be found at Mirror.