Arson in Rottweil: Unknown people set fire to benches at the drill house!

Arson in Rottweil: Unknown people set fire to benches at the drill house!

There were several burning incidents in Rottweil on Saturday evening, October 19, 2025, which kept the fire department and police on tenterhooks. At around 10 p.m., a fire was reported at the lower drill house, in which unknown perpetrators set fire to a wooden seating area. The Rottweil fire department was able to quickly extinguish the fire, but the damage caused is estimated at around 500 euros. Information about the perpetrators is desired by calling the Rottweil police station on 0741/477-0 Black Forest messenger reported.

The Rottweil fire department was also on duty on Saturday afternoon. She had to complete three missions within just an hour, while temperatures climbed to a summery 30 degrees. According to initial estimates, two of these fires could have been easily avoided, while the third raises suspicions of arson. Unknown people set fire to a roll of toilet paper and threw it onto the pitch of a rugby club, causing a fire on the small grassy area. A planted embankment at the outdoor pool also caught fire shortly afterwards, affecting an area of ​​around 200 square meters. The NRWZ report describes the challenges firefighters faced extinguishing the fires, including a difficult-to-access fire scene.

Fire department in constant operation

The fire brigade was on site with 18 emergency services and five vehicles and had to deal with various difficulties while extinguishing the fire. Among other things, access to the fire site had to be created because it was behind fences. City Fire Chief Frank Müller led the team through this challenge by breaking steel chains and cutting a passage. The fire was ultimately extinguished using two water pipes without having to enter the outdoor pool. In the first surveys, other toilet paper rolls that had been set on fire were also found during the extinguishing work, which could indicate the perpetrators. Police officers were also at the scene to interview witnesses who had noticed youths running away.

The large number of fires in Rottweil raises questions. The problem of arson is not new in Germany: According to statistics from the Federal Criminal Police Office, there was a steady increase in cases of arson recorded by the police from 2013 to 2024. The last data on this topic was published on April 2, 2025, as the Statista summarizes. It is currently unclear whether the incidents in Rottweil are related to a larger issue.