Desolation in Frechen: wind pants do great damage - over 100 emergency calls

Von Sophie Müller

storm devastated cheeky downtown

at 1.30 p.m. Dark storm clouds rose over cheeky and just a few moments later a storm swept through the city with full strength. It may have been wind pants, but the German Weather Service (DWD) in Essen could not yet provide any precise information. According to initial knowledge, nobody was injured, but the storm caused great damage within just three minutes.

Many trees kept around like matches and houses were covered within seconds. The KVB line 7 stood still because branches on the overhead line were at the St. Audomar stop. Trees fell over at the town hall and devastated the forecourt. At that time, two people were sitting in a car in the parking lot in front of the town hall when a thick branch fell on their car. The occupants had to be freed because the doors could not be opened, but got away with the horror. Numerous cars were damaged by trees and branches.

In the shortest possible time, more than 110 emergency calls were received at the district control center in Kerpen. The operations management already requested reinforcements from the neighboring cities in the initial phase. The Frechen city center was particularly affected. The umbrellas and awnings were whirled through the air in the pedestrian zone, as witnesses reported. Fortunately, nothing seems to have happened to anyone, said Mayor Susanne Stupp, although the damage is high.

The fire brigade received all playgrounds as a precaution. Support was requested by the units from Bergheim, Kerpen and Hürth. The fire brigade worked until late in the evening. All trees must now be checked for stability in order to be able to rule out further dangers, said Mayor Stupp.

It remains to be seen whether it was actually wind pants. The DWD in Essen could not provide any more precise information. Images and video recordings must first be evaluated.