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Mercedes in flames: Technical defect causes dramatic fire!
On June 19, 2025, a technical defect caused a Mercedes vehicle fire near Gelting. The fire department was quickly deployed.
Mercedes in flames: Technical defect causes dramatic fire!
There was a spectacular vehicle fire in the municipality of Pliening on June 19th, which was caused by a technical defect. A 33-year-old driver of a Mercedes 212 series noticed strange noises coming from the engine compartment while driving. Without further ado, he drove his car into a dip on State Road 2332 and discovered that the vehicle was already engulfed in flames. The Gelting fire department was alerted at 12:13 p.m. and found a car that was already fully ablaze. The fire was fought with breathing apparatus and heavy foam, but around 50 percent of the vehicle was burned out. Fortunately, the driver was uninjured.
The situation worsened when, during the extinguishing work, fuel leaked from the car and seeped into the ground, leading to an environmentally relevant incident. But the fire department is clever! The forces deployed tied up the spilled liquids with oil fleece, with the water management office and the Ebersberg district office being included in the remediation measures. A specialist company is now commissioned to remediate the contaminated soil. While the fire was extinguished, State Road 2332 was completely closed, causing further traffic delays.
Growing challenges with vehicle fires
The statistics show that vehicle fires are a big issue in Germany. In 2023, over 14,200 cars with comprehensive insurance burned down, and motor vehicle insurers had to pay more than 100 million euros. According to the GDV Both combustion and electric cars are affected. It is surprising that, statistically speaking, electric cars do not pose a higher fire risk than their classic competitors. The most common causes are arson, mechanical damage or problems with the battery, such as a so-called thermal runaway, which can cause fires that are difficult to extinguish.
Cutting-edge safety technologies and regulations have helped make electric vehicles safer. Firefighters are well trained to overcome the specific challenges of electric car fires, such as the long-term cooling required for the batteries. A nice ray of hope in a topic that is still full of uncertainty for many.
What just happened in Pliening raises the question of how well we are prepared for such incidents and what lessons we can learn from them. The case urgently reminds us of the need to ensure both the technical safety of vehicles and the operational readiness of the fire brigade. After all, every minute counts when things get tough!