Major fire in the sawmill: Fire brigade saves Somplar from flaming inferno!

Major fire in the sawmill: Fire brigade saves Somplar from flaming inferno!

On June 23, 2025, a large fire rocked the Ante sawmill in Somplar in the Waldeck-Frankenberg district in northern Hesse. This incident, which began at 2:52 p.m. when the fire department was alerted, was considered an F3 fire at an industrial facility. Around 300 firefighters from Allendorf/Eder, Frankenberg, Battenberg, Hallenberg, Korbach and Stadtallendorf as well as from neighboring fire departments moved out to fight the flames, which quickly spread due to the gusty wind.

The extinguishing work lasted until the early hours of June 25th, around 5 a.m. The fire on a large working machine and several burning stacks of logs that broke out on the site around 3 p.m. presented particular challenges. The fire brigade was able to successfully keep the burning log conveyor line under control, but allowed it to burn over a length of 80 to 100 meters. The situation required the use of a fire-fighting helicopter to fetch water from the Silbersee near Bromskirchen, while the technical relief organization from Korbach set up a water supply system to provide support.

Extensive operations and many helpers

The mayor of Frankenberg, Carsten Schäfer, expressed his thanks to the numerous emergency services and volunteers who worked tirelessly. The Bundeswehr and the Federal Police were also called out. During the extinguishing work, several access roads, including the state road between Frankenberg and Somplar, had to be temporarily closed.

Fortunately, no health risks from smoke were identified and no injuries were reported. But the financial impact of the fire is enormous. According to initial estimates, the material damage is put at around one million euros, although a future increase in the estimate is also being considered, as this could amount to around 800,000 euros, as [tagesschau.de](https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/regional/hessen/hr-hoher- Schaden-bei-saegewerkbrand-in-nordhessen-100.html) reports.

Uncertainty about the cause of the fire

The police have not yet been able to investigate the cause of the fire because the scene of the fire needs to be cooled down. This uncertainty is not uncommon in such incidents, as the exact causes of fires can often only become clear after intensive investigation. There are no comprehensive and uniform fire statistics for Germany, as the website feuertrutz.de shows, which also represents a challenge for experts to improve preventive measures.

The fire service is an essential part of our society, and incidents like this remind us of the importance of fire safety and rapid response capabilities. The fire at the Ante sawmill is another indication of the risks that exist in many industrial sectors. We hope that the cause of the fire will be clarified soon and wish those affected lots of strength in dealing with the consequences.