Status: 07/12/2023 07:33
After the major fire in the Van-Ameren-Bad in Emden, a fundraiser raised more than 100,000 euros by morning. The damage to the community pool is estimated at around two million euros.
The Van-Ameren-Bad has been operated as a public bath for 30 years. A support association bears the costs without large public funds. The club recently renovated the pool. The response from people after the fire was huge, says the spokeswoman for the association. “We get calls, we get emails, we get comments on social media: everyone wants to help.” A regular guest started a fundraiser. By morning almost 136,000 euros had already been received, as can be seen on the website for the appeal for donations. In addition, many people would have offered their help for the reconstruction.
Van-Ameren-Bad: changing rooms and registers destroyed
At least one building at Van Ameren Baths was destroyed by the fire.
The The fire broke out around 4 a.m. Tuesday night. Around 60 firefighters were deployed to put out the fire, police said. A building housing changing rooms and the cash register was destroyed by the fire. According to the public baths association, the building with the swimming pool technology was not affected by the fire. The freshly renovated pool is therefore also intact.
Second outdoor pool in Emden is currently being renovated
The association now hopes that the Van Ameren pool will be able to resume operations soon. But even if the technology and pool were not damaged, it is now necessary to check whether cables and pipes need to be repaired, the spokeswoman said. But first the police have to release the scene of the fire. Emden’s Lord Mayor Tim Kruithoff (independent) said that the city would “do everything to ensure that our public pool can open again soon – the association can rely on that”. Despite the hot summer weather, the people of Emden will probably have to do without cooling off in the outdoor pool for so long: Because the second one in the Borsum district is currently being renovated and is closed.
The cause of the fire is still unclear. Traces of a break-in were discovered at the Van-Ameren-Bad, a spokeswoman for the association told the NDR in Lower Saxony. The police are investigating according to their own statements, but do not want to confirm the suspicion of arson at first.
Huge amount of smoke
Due to the smoke development, residents in several parts of the city should keep windows and doors closed. At times, the smoke also moved in the direction of the motorway: Because of possible restricted visibility, drivers were asked to drive carefully on the A31 in Emden.
AUDIO: Fire in Van-Ameren-Bad in Emden – what is the situation? (1min)
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