Major fire in Schwalmtal: Fire brigade on duty for almost 12 hours!

Major fire in Schwalmtal: Fire brigade on duty for almost 12 hours!

In the tranquil district of Dilkrath in Schwalmtal there was a dramatic fire department operation on Friday evening, August 29th. Shortly after 6:53 p.m., the fire department was alerted when a tire warehouse on an agricultural property was on fire. The first reports spoke of massive smoke development, and the operational keyword was quickly increased to “F3 – farm is burning”. As a result, numerous emergency services were deployed, including the Amern fire brigade and the Schwalmtal fire department's management service, who took care of the dangerous situation. The situation worsened when the fire spread to an adjacent warehouse where several bales of straw were stored. City report reported that a Waldniel fire brigade had already been alerted at this point.

The operation was extensive. In order to get the situation under control, several operational sections were formed and a comprehensive fire-fighting attack was initiated using C and B pipes and a turntable ladder. Thanks to the fire department's quick response, the fire was mostly brought under control around 3:45 a.m. on Saturday morning. The extinguishing work continued until around 6:26 a.m. when “fire out” was reported. The entire operation lasted around 11.5 hours and involved over 150 firefighters. In addition, 40 personnel were deployed in the logistics area. Day24 highlights that no injuries were reported during this intensive fight against the fire.

Challenges and support

The difficulties increased over the course of the operation because the statics of half of the warehouse were classified as being in danger of collapsing due to the intensity of the fire. Experts from the demolition company assessed the damage and enabled the targeted removal of damaged parts of the building. Telescopic handlers and grab excavators were used to remove and specifically extinguish the fire. In addition, a drone from the Dülken fire brigade was used to get a better overview of the situation from the air. The citizens of Schwalmtal supported the emergency services by bringing fire-fighting water to the scene. FeuerTrutz underlines the importance of cooperation between the fire department and the community in such situations.

“We would like to thank all the fire departments involved and supporting farmers for their great commitment,” said a spokesman for the Schwalmtal fire department. Although the exact amount of damage cannot yet be quantified, it should be noted that the rapid intervention of the fire department prevented anything worse from happening. While cleanup efforts continue, the NINA warning has already lifted, bringing some relief to residents.