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Tragedy in Tornesch: Single-family house burns, girl missing!
A fire in Tornesch leaves one person missing; Emergency services fight the flames in a building that is in danger of collapsing.
Tragedy in Tornesch: Single-family house burns, girl missing!
In Tornesch, in the Pinneberg district, a devastating fire in a single-family home on the afternoon of January 22, 2026 kept emergency services on tenterhooks. Around 60 firefighters from the Uetersen and Tornesch fire departments had been fighting the flames on the upper floor of the building since the morning. Due to the acute danger of collapse, extinguishing was only possible from the outside, which further complicated the situation NDR reported.
There were two people in the house, one of whom is missing. The fire department suspects that this person is still inside. The situation is particularly tragic because the missing person is a nine-year-old girl whose body was discovered after the fire. How star Reportedly, police were able to confirm the girl's identity. The relatives were able to get to safety with the help of neighbors; the 42-year-old mother, the 40-year-old father and the 14-year-old brother remained uninjured.
Causes of fire and investigation
The exact cause of the fire is still unclear. Investigators have also determined that the house is currently in danger of collapsing, making a comprehensive investigation difficult. The police did not carry out an autopsy on the deceased nine-year-old and there is no evidence of intentional or negligent arson. As local fire safety statistics show, residential buildings are often the scene of devastating fires, with kitchens being the most common cause of fires, according to statistics from the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection. V. (vfdb) [ FeuerTrutz ].
The fire department has announced that further measures such as breaking open the roof are required before effective extinguishing can begin from the inside. This is expected to extend the duration of the operation into the afternoon.
The tragedy of this incident sheds significant light on the risks of residential fires and the challenges emergency responders have to overcome. According to the vfdb, over 83% of building fires in Germany occur up to the second floor, which shows how important preventive measures and effective fire fighting are. Data collection about fire causes and processes therefore remains crucial for future safety strategies.