Fire in Hamburg Port successfully put out, bringing shipping activities to a halt
The fire that broke out in a warehouse in Hamburg's Veddel district on Monday afternoon continues to rage more than 21 hours later. The blaze, initially triggered by a burning car, has caused significant damage, with the roof of the large hall collapsing due to the fire.
Six people, including three emergency services personnel, were injured in the fire. Thankfully, a woman who was previously considered critically injured is now out of danger. However, further information about the injured is not available. The authorities expressed their wishes for a speedy and full recovery for all those affected.
Approximately 320 firefighters, in addition to the airport fire department and the Aurubis plant fire department, were on the scene at the peak of the operation. Currently, around 120 firefighters are working tirelessly to extinguish various fires and hotspots.
The largest fire on the site has been extinguished, but follow-up operations are expected to take longer due to several hotspots and harmful fire gases on site. After checking and opening the containers, the warehouse will be demolished. The surrounding and stacked containers will now be checked to further control the situation.
The contents of the containers are unknown and will be opened with the operator. The affected container providers that need to be moved out of the warehouse and inspected are not specified.
Hamburg's Interior Senator Andy Grote (SPD) spoke of a spectacular and extremely challenging deployment on the Veddel. He thanked all emergency services for their professional and committed work under difficult conditions.
Unfortunately, there have been further explosions due to pressure gas containers at the site. Fire investigators from the police must wait before they can access the site to determine the cause of the fire.
The site is not cleared yet, and the surrounding area remains under control to ensure the safety of the public. The authorities urge residents and visitors to stay informed and follow any instructions given by local authorities.
