Horror fire in the Ulm Theater: 30,000 costumes in flames!

Horror fire in the Ulm Theater: 30,000 costumes in flames!

In the early morning hours of June 25, 2025, the former parcel post office at Ulm Central Station was hit by a devastating fire that affected large parts of the Ulm Theater. The first residents noticed flames around half past two in the morning, and the fire department was on site shortly after the alarm was raised. But the building had already caught fire and the flames left a trail of destruction that is difficult to comprehend. The theater's prop storage and two rehearsal rooms were completely destroyed, which meant a deep blow to the theater's creative work.

“This is a big shock for all employees,” said theater spokesman Lukas Sepp, who described the emotional consequences of the incident for the workforce. Before the accident, rehearsals were held in the hall for the play “The Last Fire,” which was scheduled to premiere in October. Now the two rehearsal stages are no longer available for the time being, and the theater management is working intensively to manage the situation and maintain the performance schedule in order to meet audience expectations. Despite the shock, director Kay Metzger emphasizes that the performance is not at risk because most of the performances will take place in the main building and should continue after the summer break.

Costumes and props at risk

The prop warehouse housed a collection of approximately 30,000 costumes, many of them historical pieces, produced with great love and effort. Administrative Director Angela Weißhardt expressed sadness at the loss and the invaluable cultural value of these costumes. The exact damage cannot yet be quantified as investigations into the cause of the fire and the statics of the building have begun. Police and fire department experts have already carried out initial investigations, while the hall is currently closed to the public.

The fire also severely affected rehearsal rooms, raising worrying questions, particularly for productions that desperately need the lost costumes. The theater management is now faced with the challenge of reacting flexibly and maintaining operations despite these setbacks.

The incident has brought a new level of uncertainty for everyone involved, but the theater community is determined to stay strong together. “We have a good knack for making the best of difficult situations,” says Kay Metzger. He hopes that the audience will understand the current challenges.

The cause of the fire remains unclear for the time being as the criminal investigation continues. Despite all adversities, the Ulm Theater is optimistic about the future. Further information and developments are expected in the coming days.

The reporting shows the serious consequences of the fire and provides an insight into the challenges that the Ulm Theater has to face in order to continue to bring cultural highlights to the stage. For many theater supporters, one thing is clear: it doesn't take much to overcome such a setback. “We will do it,” is the depressed but nevertheless hopeful mood in the theater.

Further details on the developments are available Schwäbische.de and Tagesschau.de to find.