Millions in damage in holiday resort – “The earth has trembled”

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From: Moritz Bletzinger

There was a huge explosion in a holiday paradise on the island of Rügen on Friday morning. The damage goes into the millions.

Update from May 27, 2:01 p.m.: An explosion in a holiday home shook the holiday island of Rügen on Friday morning (May 26). “It rumbled like an earthquake. I saw a woman screaming for help,” a tourist from Bochum tells the Picture. “The earth shook,” confirms another witness RTL. Local residents also reported that the force of the explosion could be felt several kilometers away.

Update from May 27, 9:50 am: After the explosion in a holiday home on the island of Rügen, the police are investigating on suspicion of negligent arson. Like a police spokeswoman German Press Agency (dpa) on Saturday (May 27), investigations had revealed that work had recently been carried out on the gas pipe and the gas meter in the holiday home. The public prosecutor’s office has therefore ordered the use of a fire expert. He should inspect the scene of the accident in Putgarten this weekend.

According to the current status, at least 13 neighboring houses and several cars are said to have been damaged in the explosion. The cleanup is expected to continue over the weekend.

After an explosion, a fire broke out in Putgarten in the north of the island of Rügen on Friday morning and destroyed several houses. © Stefan Sauer/dpa

Explosion on Rügen: millions of euros in damage in a holiday resort – an expert names a possible cause

Update from May 26, 5:46 p.m.: The cause of the explosion in a holiday home on Rügen is still being sought. According to experts, human error cannot be ruled out Ostsee-Zeitung. So far, it has been assumed that a gas heater in the home, which was unoccupied at the time, exploded.

“Gas heaters are usually safe,” Steffen Bobsien, deputy foreman of the Mecklenburg-Western Pomeranian chimney sweeps’ guild, told the newspaper. Especially since the devices are checked annually and the regulations for the inspectors are very strict, as Bobsien explains. Experts therefore suspect that the lines had been manipulated in advance or damaged by construction work. Nobody was injured in the explosion on Friday morning (May 26), but the holiday home and other buildings were destroyed.

The fire brigade is at the scene of the fire.  After an explosion, a fire broke out in Putgarten in the north of the island of Rügen in the morning.
The fire brigade is at the scene of the fire. After an explosion, a fire broke out in Putgarten in the north of the island of Rügen in the morning. © Stefan Sauer/dpa

Explosion on Rügen: fire jumped to the thatched roof of the neighboring house – probably a million euros in damage

Update from May 26, 2:03 p.m.: On the northern part of the island of Rügen, a fire broke out after an explosion in Putgarten on Friday morning and destroyed several houses. Initial police investigations revealed that a gas heater in a holiday home that was unoccupied at the time probably exploded. The debris flew several meters and damaged several other houses in the holiday home complex on the outskirts and two parked cars. A police spokesman said the total damage was at least one million euros. That is a first estimate.

The fire that followed the explosion first caught a second thatched house, which was fully engulfed in a few minutes, and then a neighboring apartment building. Its inhabitants were able to save themselves by fleeing quickly. The police spoke of five people who were able to escape in time.

Explosion on Rügen: the police are examining information about previous work on the gas pipeline

During the investigation, it became known that work had only recently been carried out on the gas pipe and gas meter of the holiday home where the explosion occurred. Now it is being checked whether someone caused the explosion negligently or whether there was a technical defect. According to the police, further details are not yet known. Hardly anything remained of the house. The force of the blast could still be felt several kilometers away, local residents said.

About 70 firefighters were on duty to extinguish the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to other thatched buildings. The municipality set up a meeting place for the affected residents at the cultural barn. The houses in Putgarten, a few meters from the northern tip of Rügen with Cape Arkona, have mostly thatched roofs, which are particularly at risk of fire. The place is considered a tourist magnet on the largest German Baltic Sea island.

Fire inferno on the island of Rügen: explosion in a holiday home causes a major fire

First report from May 26, 11:34 a.m.: Rügen – residents of the Baltic Sea island of Rügen (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) were jerked out of bed by a violent crash on Friday morning. The explosion occurred in a holiday home. This sparked a major fire that spread to several houses in the holiday resort. A police spokesman estimates the damage at at least one million euros. According to the police report, a total of 15 houses in the area were damaged.

Explosion in Putgarten on Rügen: There was an explosion in a holiday home – a total of 15 houses were damaged.
Explosion in Putgarten on Rügen: There was an explosion in a holiday home – a total of 15 houses were damaged. © Stefan Sauer/dpa

The thatched roofs quickly caught fire. In a few minutes, the second house was on fire, and shortly thereafter the third house. Five residents reacted quickly enough and were able to flee the flames, police said. Around 70 firefighters were on duty to prevent the flames from spreading further and to extinguish the fire. Police are asking residents to keep doors and windows closed due to the smoke.

“Fortunately, no one was injured,” said Mayor Iris Möbius (CDU). German press agency. The municipality has set up a meeting place for the residents, they are accommodated in the culture barn.

A gas heater in a currently unoccupied holiday home probably exploded, according to initial police investigations. Debris and stones are said to have shot meters high through the air. It became known that work on the gas meter and the gas pipe of the exploded house was probably only recently carried out.

Explosion in Putgarten caused by negligence? Police check suspicion

Someone could have caused the explosion negligently, the authorities are investigating this suspicion. A technical defect is also conceivable.

The municipality of Putgarten is located at the very northern tip of Rügen. Many houses are used by tourists or as holiday homes. Almost all have thatched roofs, which are particularly prone to catching fire.

Only in March did a fire drama occur on the Baltic Sea island. A Grandfather and his dog died in a fire in a gazebo. (moe/kh/dpa)

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