Fire engulfed Hall - Intense firefighting by the fire department
Fire Destroys Watenbüttel Building, No Injuries Reported
A significant fire incident took place in Watenbüttel, Braunschweig, on the evening of September 3, 2025. The incident, reported at 18:09 on Okeraue street, quickly escalated, with the building fully ablaze upon the arrival of the fire department.
The professional fire brigade on site reported the incident to Thomas Hickmann from the on-duty service. To manage the extensive fire, special vehicles from local fire departments in Rüningen, Querum, Wenden, Bienrode, and Waggum were deployed, along with resources from the Heusenstamm fire department, headed by incident commander Markus Konrad.
As the fire raged on, the dense construction and the large amount of stored straw proved to be formidable challenges. The intense smoke development during the operations to remove the burning material was a cause for concern. To assist in the removal of the burning material, THW deployed a wheel loader.
Despite the intensity of the fire, no injuries were reported. However, some cars were unfortunately damaged by the intense heat. The police have initiated investigations into the cause of the fire, with the incident commander Markus Konrad under investigation.
The Nina warning app advised residents to keep doors and windows closed and avoid the fire area due to heavy smoke. An extensive firefighting operation was immediately initiated to protect neighboring residential buildings.
The operation lasted for several hours, with approximately 150 personnel from the professional fire brigade, volunteer fire brigade, THW, rescue service, SEBS, BS-Netz, soil protection authority of the City of Braunschweig, and Police involved in the operation.
Tragically, the fire completely destroyed the building, along with its contents including machines, hay, straw, and feed. The community is left to recover from this unfortunate event.
