Huge fire in Hamelen's indoor playground: suspected arson!

Huge fire in Hamelen's indoor playground: suspected arson!

Klein Berkel, Deutschland - A huge fire put the indoor game paradise "Ratzfatz" in Klein Berkel in rubble and ash on April 7, 2025. The impressive building with a dimension of 60 by 50 meters is completely burned down, and only the base plate remains. The damage incurred is estimated at between 1 and 1.5 million euros, which has destroyed the livelihood of a family within just 30 minutes, as the Dewezet

The cause of the fire remains unclear for the time being. A fire agent detection dog could not track down any signs of flammable liquids, which the investigators posed with a mystery. However, it is believed that the hall was set on fire with a mixture containing turpentine. The managing director, Franz Noack, is increasingly targeting the investigators and asserting his innocence. His cell phone was confiscated while he assures that he was on a fun fair in Detmold at the time of the fire. The 20,000 euro investment in new electric cars and a large bouncy castle raise questions, and the fire ruins remains confiscated until further notice.

drama on the night of fire

The dramatic scenes themselves show how quickly the situation escalated. The son of the playground operator, who slept at the time of the fire in the hall, was woken up by loud blasts at 2:05 a.m., which came from print cartridges. It was he who alarmed the fire brigade and could therefore be saved in time. When the emergency services arrived, the flames hit the night sky meter high, and almost 200 firefighters were necessary to extinguish the embers. Objective reports, on the other hand, find that the fire brigade had to move out again the following Tuesday to eliminate the last embers.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is in full swing. Not only fire investors are used, but also external experts who are supposed to examine the fire ruins over the course of the week. The NDR reports that parts of the collapsed hall building even had to be torn down,, to avoid another risk. This careful caution suggests that security in the affected areas is of the greatest importance.

Security in indoor playgrounds

The action also throws a light on the general security standards in indoor playgrounds. These offer the parents an alternative to weather -intonsal, but are not in principle immune to dangers. The TÜV Thuringia describes in a blog post that there is no obligation to check play equipment in Indoor playgrounds after the initial Ergo, the responsibility is largely with the operators and ultimately also among the parents. Worn or poorly maintained play equipment can be a high risk.

The tragic events in the Ratzfatz should be a warning signal for all those operators who do not adequately take care of the safety of their facilities. Because if an indictment of serious arson is raised, this could not only affect the fate of the playground operator, but also the trust of the public in indoor playgrounds as a whole.