Fire in the Berlin Grunewald
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Avus remains closed “all day” – rail traffic could be released in the afternoon
The situation in Grunewald remains stable, but dangerous. The Avus will probably remain closed throughout the day, but trains and S-Bahn trains could possibly run again from the afternoon. A permanent cooling of three hotspots on the blast site is decisive for this. The fire brigade rated the fire as “the most dangerous operation since World War II”.
– Situation is stable, small fires continue around the blast site
– In all likelihood, the Avus will remain closed on Saturday
– Train traffic could possibly be released in the afternoon.
– Fire brigade: “Most dangerous operation since World War II”
– Operation will probably last several days
The Avus motorway remains closed in both directions on Saturday due to the fire at the police detonation site in Grunewald. This was announced by fire department spokesman Thomas Kirstein on Saturday afternoon.
Rail traffic could possibly be resumed in the afternoon. That depends on the risk assessment. The blast site is currently being permanently cooled by extinguishing water. According to Kirstein, this measure is already having an effect. “It’s now about ensuring this cooling reliably.” This is done via robots that can be controlled from a safe area.
Extinguishing measures with a special tank are also taking place around the blast site. There are always ground fires. You have to keep an eye on them, as they could also become dangerous for the blasting site.
“There are still no injuries. But all work is dangerous, it still requires a prudent and calm approach,” said Kirstein.
Floor still very hot – fire brigade concentrates on three hotspots
There had been no further explosions on Saturday night. On Saturday morning, the demolition expert again entered the detonation site in an armored vehicle and reassessed the situation with the help of drones. The blasting site cannot be reached via the original access road, which is why a so-called fence opening was necessary. According to Kirstein, this is very time-consuming.
Although the flames around the Grunewald site have largely been extinguished, the ground on the site is still very hot. Kirstein could not say what temperatures are currently prevailing there. According to the police, up to 700 degrees were measured in some places on Friday.
According to Kirstein, the fire brigade has defined three hotspots from which particular dangers still emanate. One of them, for example, is the storage site for aerial bombs from World War II. These areas have to be further cooled with water by an extinguishing tank. Some storage sites for dangerous explosives have always been constantly cooled with water, and nothing happened there, it said.
The fire brigade now rates the event as the most dangerous fire-fighting operation in Berlin since the Second World War.
Avus approval: “Will not let us be put under pressure”
The Avus will remain closed, especially on Saturday, because it is closer to the scene of the fire than the railway line further east. “We also rate the Avus in such a way that there is less traffic there at the weekend. In this respect, we will not let ourselves be put under pressure,” said Kirstein. In the event of further explosions from ammunition residues, material could be thrown far, emphasized fire chief Karsten Homrighausen on Friday.
Discussions about the location of the blast site
The fire broke out on Thursday night at the blast site. Tons of old grenades, ammunition and confiscated fireworks were stored in buildings on the site. Explosions could be heard, the fire spread throughout the day in the dry forest area. The cause of the fire in Grunewald is unclear.
According to the police, around 30 tons of “munitions and ammunition” from the Second World War and several hundred kilograms of fireworks that were confiscated on New Year’s Eve were stored on the large site of the detonation site. These stocks are blown up at regular intervals, most recently in March and April. To be on the safe side, the stocks stored are “permanently rained on”. There is also a fire protection concept, fire protection corridors and a fire alarm system.
The detonation site for the destruction of weapons and explosives has existed since 1950. The police are now responsible. She emphasized that there had always been considerations to move the location. Brandenburg Interior Minister Michael Stübgen (CDU) was open to talks with Berlin about solutions.
Broadcast: rbb24 evening show, August 5th, 2022, 7:30 p.m