One year after the fatal emergency call breakdown: there is no clarification!

One year after the fatal emergency call breakdown: there is no clarification!

One year after the tragic emergency call breakdown in Lübeck, the population continues to demand answers. On October 9, 2024, an emergency call from Schlutup was made to the Lübeck fire department at 1:37 p.m., but unfortunately the alarming situation was not forwarded as required. Instead, an ambulance or emergency doctor was not alerted, which ultimately resulted in the death of a 73-year-old woman from Lübeck. At the time, Mayor Jan Lindenau (SPD) expressed his deep sympathy for the bereaved families, and the city administration promised to transparently clarify the causes of this incident and to take appropriate measures.

To date, the exact circumstances that led to this delay are still unclear. City spokeswoman Nicole Dorel refers to ongoing investigations by the Lübeck public prosecutor's office, which discontinued the proceedings in August 2025 because it could not be clearly clarified whether the delayed alarm was actually the cause of death. Even if an employee was proven to have committed misconduct, according to Jens Buscher from the public prosecutor's office, it would be difficult to prove that this led to the woman's death. However, the city has taken action and added an additional security query in the emergency call software and conducted more intensive training for employees.

Investigations and measures

After the incident, both the city of Lübeck and the police began investigations to avoid future mistakes. Learning tasks and findings have already been shared in the working group of the management of the control centers in Schleswig-Holstein. Based on this experience, technical improvements to the reporting system are planned, which have already been announced for Thursday. However, the city is unable to make any definitive statements about the exact cause of the error or about further measures until the results of the investigation are available.

Emergency call processing is a crucial aspect of the emergency services system, especially in urban regions such as Lübeck, where the number of requests for help to the emergency number 112 is continuously increasing. According to research, standardized emergency call queries are of utmost importance in order to ensure operational efficiency. These queries, which follow international standards, ensure a correct and objective assessment of the patient's condition. Many cities, including Berlin, rely on such systems to better organize operations and deal with smaller cases in a more targeted manner. These aspects are in the context of the increasing pressure on the emergency services, which are challenged by an increasing number of missions.

The public's reaction

The public in Lübeck is still affected by the incident. Mayor Jan Lindenau and fire department chief Thomas Köstler expressed their sadness and sympathy for the family of the deceased woman. The case exemplifies challenges that many cities face when it comes to the quality of emergency care. The city of Lübeck is now required to not only take current concerns seriously, but also to develop long-term solutions to ensure that such tragic incidents can be avoided in the future.

At a time when communication and rapid emergency response are paramount, it remains to be seen what steps the city will take next to restore trust in emergency systems and ensure the safety of its citizens. It is an issue that concerns everyone and it is important to learn the right lessons from the past.