Major fire in Hanover-Mittelfeld: Police are investigating arson!

Major fire in Hanover-Mittelfeld: Police are investigating arson!

On Saturday afternoon, November 30, 2025, there was a devastating major fire in a primary school in Hanover-Mittelfeld. The fire department was called at 3:30 p.m. and fought the flames for up to 18 hours. The deployment of around 130 firefighters was finally able to extinguish the fire. Unfortunately, a significant part of the school went up in flames, in particular the building wing with the auditorium, adjacent hallways and the sanitary facilities were completely destroyed. The material damage caused is estimated at around two million euros, a doubling of the original estimate of one million euros, as NDR reports.

The police immediately launched an arson investigation against unknown persons and are asking the public for help. Witnesses who made suspicious observations at the time of the crime on Saturday can contact the Hanover Criminal Investigation Service on 0511 109 55 55. It should be noted that arson is a common cause of fires in school buildings, as the Institute for Security Research explains. Statistics show that arson accounts for nine percent of fires and often results from boredom or whim.

Relocation of classes and emergency care

Because of the destruction of the school, lessons for the approximately 370 affected students will be moved to the Käthe-Paulus-Schule on Kronsberg from Monday. This facility is located approximately four kilometers from the affected school and currently only has 77 children enrolled. The city of Hanover has set up a bus transfer to transport the students safely. Headmaster Martin Preisigke expressed gratitude for the opportunity to move and emphasized the togetherness of the school family.

The city has taken steps to prepare the Käthe-Paulus-Schule premises “under high pressure” for the move-in. Emergency care for working parents will also be offered at the new school; such care should initially be set up from Wednesday after the school remains closed on Monday and Tuesday. Unfortunately, the neighboring gymnasium is also temporarily closed while the damage is assessed and the conditions for reusing individual rooms are examined.

Long-term recovery plans

The destruction at the elementary school is significant. In addition to the auditorium, parts of the all-day area are also affected, and parts of the roof structure are at risk of collapsing. Extinguishing water damaged the hallways in front of the fire. The renovation work is proving to be extensive and costly. The plan is to combine an expansion of the school with the necessary renovation measures. This extensive work is expected to take several years, which represents a major challenge for the school management and the families affected.

Parents and teachers have been faced with major challenges due to developments in recent days. The situation remains tense and everyone involved is hoping for a quick clarification of the incidents and a speedy return to stable school operations.