Fire devils are wreaking havoc in Essen – police are investigating!

Fire devils are wreaking havoc in Essen – police are investigating!

On the night of Friday, July 18, 2025, there was a series of fires in Essen that kept the fire department on tenterhooks several times. At 2:13 a.m., a van was discovered fully engulfed in fire on Cathostrasse in Bergeborbeck. After quickly extinguishing the fire, the fire brigade was able to prevent the flames from spreading to a neighboring transporter and a tire warehouse stored there. Luckily there were no injuries. The operation lasted about an hour and showed the high level of commitment of the fire brigade, which also made the rapid response possible with a short walk, reports Local compass.

The next operation followed just five minutes after the first alarm. At 2:18 a.m. the fire brigade had to respond to a garbage can fire on the dividing path in Altenessen. Here too, the fire was quickly extinguished. However, these two alarms did not stop there; At 4:18 a.m. another van fire was reported on Hafenstrasse in Bergeborbeck, which was also quickly contained.

Biggest operation on Altenessener Straße

The largest incident occurred at 4:35 a.m. on Altenessener Strasse. Here, trash cans were burning in the driveway of an apartment building and the Velbert fire department, which happened to be driving by, immediately took initial action. It was quickly apparent that the flames were coming dangerously close to the facade of the eight-family house. A window on the first floor couldn't withstand the heat and burst. The smoke from the fire entered the building through open windows, which complicated the situation.

Velbert's emergency services, who were already on site, successfully evacuated all residents of the house. The Essen fire department forcibly opened more apartments to ensure that no one was inside. During the operation, a resident was injured by smoke gas, but did not have to go to hospital. The entire operation lasted over two hours and shows how important quick reactions are to such incidents.

Police investigations

The Essen police have now started investigating the fires. A possible arson cannot be ruled out, which makes the situation even more explosive. Concern over a series of arson incidents is real, especially considering that this is not the first such incident in recent memory.

On January 16, 2025, eleven fire incidents occurred in quick succession in Essen, including several car fires Press portal informed. The fire brigade was on alert with several fire engines in order to quickly bring the fires under control. Investigations have shown that such incidents represent a deep threat to the safety of citizens not only locally but also nationally.

A look at the Cause statistics for fire damage 2024 shows that arson is one of the most common causes of fires in urban areas. The incidents in Essen are an alarm signal that should not be ignored. Citizens are urged to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately.