Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
After an explosion on Rügen: fire experts expected
The fire brigade at the scene of the fire. After an explosion, a fire broke out and destroyed several houses. photo
© Stefan Sauer/dpa
An explosion had caused millions in damage on Friday in the north of the island of Rügen. Luckily no one was hurt. An expert should now clarify what exactly triggered the gas explosion.
After the gas explosion in a holiday home and the subsequent fire in Putgarten on the island of Rügen, the police are investigating suspected negligent arson.
Investigations have shown that there should have been work on the gas pipe and the gas meter of the holiday home a short time ago, as a police spokeswoman said on Saturday of the German Press Agency. The public prosecutor ordered the use of a fire expert. He should inspect the scene of the accident this weekend.
The holiday home, which belongs to a man from Leipzig, exploded on Friday morning. Large pieces of debris flew several hundred meters and damaged at least 13 neighboring houses and several cars. Fire broke out and also destroyed a neighboring house that was covered with reeds, the residents of which were only able to get out of the house and flee with the help of witnesses. The police estimate the damage so far at more than one million euros.
The site of the explosion is further confiscated and guarded
The extinguishing work continued throughout the day, with around 70 firefighters on duty. The site of the explosion is further confiscated and guarded. Eyewitnesses speak of a veritable field of rubble, since hardly anything remained of the exploded house. The cleanup is expected to continue over the weekend.
It is still unclear where the ignition spark for the gas explosion came from. Investigators suspect that the heating was switched on automatically on Friday morning because the owner from Saxony wanted to use the house at the weekend. But why so much gas had accumulated in the house has yet to be investigated. It could also be a technical defect, said the spokeswoman.
The force of the blast could be felt several kilometers away, local residents said. Most of the houses in Putgarten have thatched roofs, which are particularly at risk of fire.
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