Fire at the Diehl defense company – heavy smoke development

The fire department has been on a large-scale operation in Berlin-Lichterfelde since Friday afternoon. As a fire department spokesman confirmed to the Berliner Zeitung, there is a fire at Diehl Metal Applications GmbH on Am Stichkanal street. The Diehl Group is active, among other things, in the arms industry. The Berlin fire brigade is still on site with over 100 emergency services at around 10 p.m. A total of 220 people were on duty, a fire department spokesman said in the evening. The BER airport fire brigade is also on duty, whose vehicles have particularly powerful spray cannons.

“We have the problem that we can’t get to the depths when extinguishing the fire,” said the fire department spokesman early in the evening. “The rubble of the collapsed building is lying on top of each other and we can only get at it from the outside.” The fire is not yet completely under control on Friday evening, but it is not spreading any further. According to the fire department, the operation will last until Saturday morning.

As can be read on “An important section of the operation serves to protect the environment and the surrounding waters and property,” said the fire department.

Column of smoke over Berlin: population is warned

The fire caused a lot of smoke. Since chemicals were also burning in the building, the population in the west of the city was warned and asked to keep windows and doors closed. The fire department issued widespread warnings about possible health risks using a cell phone app. At least one school was closed. The burning electroplating hall contains, among other things, sulfuric acid and copper cyanide. Detonations occurred several times. Due to the wind, the smoke moves over Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Spandau and also the west of Reinickendorf. That’s why the fire brigade is out on the streets with a measuring van to measure toxic levels. According to the fire department, however, increased pollutant levels were only measured in the immediate area.

“We have now reduced the warning because the smoke has subsided significantly,” said the spokesman. The warning now primarily affects the Schmargendorf area.

The fire broke out around 10:30 a.m. on the first floor of the metal processing company, which produces parts for the automotive industry, among other things. The flames quickly reached the attic. The building has now collapsed. Because of the chemicals, the fire department can only extinguish the fire from outside. The area was evacuated and the employees were able to leave the area independently. According to the fire department, none of them were injured.

The fire department expects the operation to last into the night. The authority has convened its management team at its headquarters on Nikolaus-Groß-Weg.

Photo gallery

The fire department warns of heavy smoke development.Marius Schwarz/imago

The fire department is on site with over 100 emergency services.Marius Schwarz/imago

The fire department extinguishes the fire.Marius Schwarz/imago

The fire can be seen from afar.Christoph Soeder/dpa

A drone from the Berlin fire department flies in front of the column of smoke during a fire in Berlin-Lichterfelde.Christoph Soeder/dpa

Deep black smoke rises.Marius Schwarz/imago

Due to fire in Lichterfelde: BVG traffic restricted

As the Berlin traffic information center (VIZ) announced, the Beeskowdamm/Goerzallee road between Wupperstraße and Wismarer Straße is closed in both directions. BVG bus traffic is also affected. Bus line 258 will be rerouted: in the direction of the S-Bahn and U-Bahn station Rathaus Steglitz between Wupperstrasse and Appenzeller Strasse and in the direction of Waldfriedhof Dahlem between Engadiner Weg and Wupperstrasse.

Not only does Diehl Metal Application GmbH have its headquarters at this address, but there is also a branch of Diehl Defense GmbH there. There is currently no information on a possible cause of the fire.

Russian media have already picked up the report. The Russian one Government newspaper RG.RU writes: “There was a fire in a factory owned by the Diehl defense industry group in Berlin. This company produces, among other things Iris-T- Air defense systems (for Ukraine, editor’s note).”

Roland Goertz from Chair of Chemical Safety and Defensive Fire Protection from the University of Wuppertal told the Berliner Zeitung: “Such fires can, in principle, happen. Circumstances can arise where the fire protection does not function properly. As I saw it, Diehl does very special things – such as electroplating (Electroplating refers to the electrochemical deposition of metallic precipitates, i.e. coatings on substrates in an electrolytic bath, editor’s note). Electroplating itself can be large or small. Cyanides often appear, acids and alkalis and other auxiliary substances, including metal salts or copper cyanide – these are all things that are poisonous and corrosive. But they are not flammable.” Many parts that are connected to the systems are often made of plastic, and they can sometimes burn.

Is there a danger to people and animals? Roland Goertz says: “Depends on the extent of the fire. It looks like a medium sized fire cloud to me. But fire smoke is always poisonous.”

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