Big fire in Gelsenkirchen: Former factory building in flames!

Big fire in Gelsenkirchen: Former factory building in flames!

The Gelsenkirchen fire department was called upon on Thursday evening, October 17, 2025, when they were called to a fire in an empty factory hall in Feldmark around 8:20 p.m. Passers-by noticed the fire and smoke and immediately called 911. The quick action of the callers contributed significantly to preventing something worse from happening. When the first emergency services arrived, the fire was confirmed and extinguishing and ventilation measures were immediately initiated.

A total of around 40 firefighters were on site, including units from the Altstadt, Heßler and Buer fire and rescue stations as well as the Erle fire brigade from the Gelsenkirchen volunteer fire department. Thanks to the coordinated effort, the fire was quickly brought under control and completely extinguished. After the extinguishing work was completed, it took until around 10:50 p.m. for the last emergency services to move away from Küpperbuschstrasse. The hall was then ventilated and further checks were carried out before the police took over the scene to determine the cause of the fire.

Cause of fire in focus

The exact cause of the fire is currently unclear. According to IFS experts, more than half of all fires in and around buildings are caused by electricity and human error. Kitchen fires in particular are often caused by careless handling, for example when flammable materials are left on the stove. Improper handling of electrical appliances, especially “white goods” such as refrigerators or dishwashers, is also a common risk. Defective devices often cannot be detected in time, which can lead to fires. The IFS also points this out that battery fires, especially lithium-ion batteries, are also causing increased damage.

In parallel to the investigation into the cause of the fire, the emergency services are grateful that no one was injured due to the quick alerting of passers-by and the efficient deployment of the fire department. This once again underlines the importance of responsible use of fire and electricity. Radio Emscher Lippe reports on the professional reaction of the emergency services.

The Gelsenkirchen police are continuing to work on the matter and will provide further information on the investigation into the cause of the fire. The coming days will show what lessons can be learned from this incident to avoid similar situations in the future. Meanwhile, the public is called upon to keep an eye on the safe handling of flammable materials and electrical devices.