As of: November 25, 2023 1:06 a.m
A fire in the Mecklenburg State Theater in Schwerin triggered a large-scale operation by the city’s fire brigade on Friday evening. The performance of the opera “Carmen” that was running in the building had to be interrupted.
Firefighters searched the theater – apparently the alarm was triggered by a fire in the basement area.
The emergency call was received by the fire department and police at around 9 p.m. Rescue vehicles from several parts of the city rushed to the State Theater at the Old Garden opposite the castle. In the theater hall, musicians, actors, employees and the audience were asked by an announcement to leave the building immediately and go to the forecourt. A total of around 500 people had to be brought to safety. Actors and guests reported to NDR MV that some people ran outside in panic, while others remained calm and composed. According to rescue workers, no one was injured.
Large amounts of smoke in the building
At first the situation was confusing, the operations management said. At first there was talk of a possible fire in the canteen. As it later turned out, a fire brigade spokesman told NDR MV, rubbish had burned in the basement area of the building. There was a supply air line there that carried fresh air into the theater. “Large amounts of smoke were blown into the building,” said operations manager Alexander Gabler from the Schwerin fire department. When the report of the incident was received, according to the police, the performance of the opera “Carmen” was taking place in the “Big House”.
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Emergency services from several fire departments on site
A total of around 40 emergency services from the Schwerin professional fire brigade and the Schwerin Mitte and Zippendorf voluntary fire brigades were on duty, and other voluntary fire brigades were on standby. Several ambulances also rushed to the scene – as a precautionary measure, as the emergency management said.
Guests and ensemble have to go out into the cold without jackets
The theatergoers, the ensemble and the staff had to wait in the forecourt without jackets in sleet and temperatures just above zero degrees. Actors and singers in costumes stood shivering outside alongside festively dressed theatergoers. Many complained that they had not received any information at first.
Viewer: “They didn’t tell us what was going on”
Viewer Heinz Benthien reported to NDR MV: “We were sitting in the middle of the performance and then suddenly things smelled hot. We all thought it was from the fog on stage. And then suddenly a lady came on stage and said we have to stop the performance. But she didn’t say what was going on. On the way out we saw all the fire trucks in front of the building.”
The actors “all just wanted to get out”
Actress Jolina Jäck told our reporter on site: “I don’t know what’s going on here either. Everyone just wanted to get out.” Some announcements – some in broken German – were difficult to understand on the spacious forecourt, as our reporter on site reported. The people who had to leave the building were able to temporarily stay in the state chancellery, which was specially opened.
Opera performance finally canceled
After almost an hour, those waiting were informed via megaphone that they could now go back into the building and get their jackets from the cloakroom. The opera performance was ultimately canceled entirely. Late in the evening, the smell of burning was still in the air around the theater. After the theater was ventilated, the actors were also able to pick up their belongings that had been left behind.
Suspicion of serious arson
Investigators were unable to quantify the possible amount of damage late in the evening. Employees of the permanent criminal service secured traces. The criminal police are investigating suspicions of attempted serious arson.
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Keywords for this article
theatre
