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WEATHER

Storm leaves two dead and several injured

A storm front hitting western Germany on Monday afternoon left two people dead and several injured as winds and thunderstorms followed a brutal heat wave.

Published: 12 July 2010 16:50 CEST
Updated: 12 July 2010 18:52 CEST
Storm leaves two dead and several injured
The tornado over Helgoand. Photo: DPA

The dramatic drop in temperatures unleashed violent weather across much of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

A 54-year-old woman on a scooter died in Cologne after she sought shelter from the wind and rain under an underpass and was hit by a truck. A 47-year-old woman in Nordhorn in Lower Saxony also died after gusty winds uprooted a tree that fell on her as she tried to return home with her dog.

A 15-year-old girl suffered life-threatening injures after she was struck by falling branch while riding a bike in Wesel county. Winds in Bonn tore down a 2.5-metre-high wooden fence in the city centre, injuring six people. A 62-year-old woman suffered serious injuries.

The strong winds also caused a tornado on the North Sea island of Helgoland, where eight people were injured, two seriously. The twister tore across a camping site, leaving more than 100 people without a place to sleep tonight. The island’s mayor called a state of emergency and asked for help from the mainland.

The storm front hitting western Germany on Monday afternoon is expected to bring heavy rain, hail, strong gusting winds and even the danger of isolated tornadoes as it sweeps across the country, the DWD said.

The deadly storm will also cause the high temperatures of recent days to drop markedly, with the west to see overnight lows to fall to 17 degrees Celsius compared to average lows of 22 degrees overnight in the east.

The DWD warned any respite would be short-lived however, with high temperatures set to drop only a little Tuesday, to between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. The east of the country could expect thunderstorms on Tuesday, the office added.

The baking summer conditions could return Wednesday with temperatures of more than 30 degrees being felt across the country. Only the coastal areas and islands off the coast could expect cooler temps, with highs around 25 degrees and upwards. Southern Germany is set to swelter amid highs of about 36 degrees.

Click here for The Local’s weather forecast.

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BERLIN

Warning of toxic smoke after fire breaks out at Berlin factory

More than 180 firefighters wearing protective suits were on Friday tackling a major blaze at a metal technology firm in Berlin's Lichterfelde area as authorities warned of toxic smoke.

Published: 3 May 2024 16:35 CEST
Updated: 3 May 2024 18:08 CEST
Warning of toxic smoke after fire breaks out at Berlin factory

The blaze broke out in the first floor of metal technology factory ‘Diehl Metal Applications’ on the Stichkanal in Lichterfelde, south-west Berlin around 10:30 am.

On Friday afternoon, a fire brigade spokesperson said an area of over 2,000 square metres was on fire in the four-storey building.

As of 5 pm, the fire was reportedly still not under control.

According to the spokesman, the fire had spread to the roof, with parts of the building collapsing.

As the company also stores and processes chemicals in various quantities, there are concerns over harmful fumes in the smoke. 

“We can confirm that chemicals are also burning in the building,” said the fire service. “Sulphuric acid and copper cyanide were stored there. There is a risk of hydrogen cyanide forming and rising into the air with the smoke.”

Hydrogen cyanide is a highly toxic substance.

The Berlin state government said that residents “in the affected areas of the toxic fumes caused by the fire” were warned through the NINA warning app at midday.

People walk in the area near the fire in Berlin on Friday. Residents have been urged to stay inside and keep their windows closed.

People walk in the area near the fire in Berlin on Friday. Residents have been urged to stay inside and keep their windows closed. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christoph Soeder

The Berlin fire department also said on X that people in a large area of Berlin and the outskirts, shown on the map in this tweet, should keep their windows and doors closed, turn off air conditioning and avoid smoky areas. People have also been asked to avoid the area. It includes a large part of the Grunewald forest. 

In the immediate vicinity, hazardous substances had been measured. According to a fire and rescue spokesperson, no injuries have been reported. 

A spokesman for Diehl Metall, to which the plant belongs, said on request that the chemicals mentioned were also only kept in small quantities at the plant.

According to the Diehl spokesman, the location is used for electroplating parts for the automotive industry. The Diehl Group is a large arms company; however, no armaments were produced at the Berlin plant, Nitz said.

Emergency response authorities requested the help of the in-house fire brigade from the firm Bayer, which is familiar with fighting against chemical fires, Berlin newspaper Tagesspeigel reported. 

Which areas are most affected?

Pupils and teachers from nearby schools have been sent home as a precaution, while several shops around the site have closed. 

On Friday afternoon, a warning message popped up on many mobile phones with a shrill sound, according to which there is “extreme danger”.

“After evaluating the weather conditions and the corresponding wind direction, the flue gases move from the scene of the incident in a northerly direction,” the fire department told the German Press Agency (DPA).

Flames seen at the fire in Berlin's Lichterfelde on Friday.

Flames seen at the fire in Berlin’s Lichterfelde on Friday. Shops around the area closed. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christoph Soeder

According to the fire department spokesman, however, it was not initially clear at what distance the smoke could still be hazardous to health.

Parents of students at the Fichtenberg-Gymnasium in Steglitz received an e-mail stating that classes had been stopped and all students had been sent home. However, the local Abitur or end of school leaving exams continued with the windows closed.

Surrounding roads were closed while flames leapt into the sky, according to a DPA reporter on site.

A neighbouring supermarket was completely enveloped in white smoke. The surrounding area is a mixture of commercial area, allotments, housing estates and shopping centre. According to eyewitnesses, the smoke appeared to be heading north.

The fire department published a map on which the affected areas are marked. Parts of Spandau, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Reinickendorf, among others, can be seen. People should avoid the affected area and drive around it as much as possible, the fire department suggested. Even if no smoke is visible, windows and doors should remain closed and ventilation and air conditioning systems should be switched off, it said.

In the immediate vicinity of the fire, the police made announcements with a megaphone and called on people to leave the streets, go home and keep windows closed.

The cause of the fire has not yet been established. 

With reporting by DPA, Paul Krantz and Rachel Loxton.

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