Major operation in Swisttal: Fire in Hündgen-Halle threatens to escalate

Major operation in Swisttal: Fire in Hündgen-Halle threatens to escalate

A major fire caused a stir in the hall of the Hündgen waste disposal company in Swisttal this morning. Between exactly 7:45 a.m. and around 11:53 a.m., the fire department was put on alert when a thick column of black smoke rose for miles across the area. Residents in the area were quickly informed via the Nina warning app and asked to close windows and doors to protect themselves from possible smoke pollution. The warning levels changed from “extreme danger” to “danger information” over the course of the morning, as ga.de reported.

With enormous commitment, around 300 firefighters from the entire Rhein-Sieg district, the Euskirchen district and Weilerswist stepped in to fight the fire. At around 10 a.m., press spokesman Karsten Windolph announced that the flames were under control, but that they still needed to be monitored. The burning hall housed garbage for disposal, but fortunately no injuries were reported. The Federal Agency for Technical Relief supported the fire department with evacuation equipment to make the fire site safe and speed up the clean-up work.

Measures to ensure the safety of residents

The area around the hall was cordoned off by police to ensure that the public did not get into the danger area. To protect residents, measurements of exposure to escaping substances are continuously being carried out, although all results have been negative so far. The State Environment Agency has announced that it will come to the site for further inspection. The municipality of Troisdorf also provided support with mobile units to warn the Swisttal population.

In the context of the incidents, Tobias Weingartz, councilor for the municipality of Swisttal, noted that the Hündgen company's fire protection concept had proven to be effective. This is particularly important as the cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to police. At the same time, a sports festival organized by the Ollheim-Straßfeld handball community was canceled due to the smoke from the fire.

A look outside the box

In the meantime, other fire incidents in Austria are shedding light, such as most recently in a carpentry workshop in Sankt Marein in the Mürztal, where heavy smoke caused an alarm here too. Around 70 firefighters fought the flames that spread after a smoldering fire. Fortunately, there were no injuries here either. The cause is also still being identified and the fire investigation is ongoing, as kleinezeitung.at reported. Such incidents illustrate the importance of effective fire protection, as is also emphasized on the IFS platforms regarding fire cause statistics.

For everyone involved it is now time to stay calm and keep an eye on the situation. Firefighters will continue to operate until full control and safety are ensured.