A modern fire station in western Germany, constructed last year at a cost of millions of euros, was completely destroyed by a fire because it lacked a fire alarm system.
The newly completed building in the town of Stadtallendorf, which had only been open for less than a year, caught fire early on Wednesday. The fire reportedly began in a vehicle and quickly spread, consuming the entire structure.
About 170 firefighters, including members of the local volunteer fire team, responded to the fire, with flames reaching up to 10 meters high from the station’s roof.
No one was hurt, although 10 fire trucks were lost. Relief over the absence of injuries quickly turned to shock and confusion when it was discovered that the building had no fire alarm, with many expressing disbelief and anger over the fact that this was not required by law.
Firefighters who arrived at the scene were emotional, realizing that their own station had burned down.
“It is a nightmare for a firefighter. No one wants to have to put out a fire at their own station,” said district fire inspector Lars Schäfer to German media, adding that the damage was estimated at €20m-24m.
When the station first opened, it was celebrated by the local paper, the Oberhessische Presse, as “modern, innovative and top-of-the-line.”
However, Schäfer explained that the law did not require it to have a fire alarm because it was owned by the local government and classified as a facility holding equipment, rather than a fire station.
Norbert Fischer, president of the Hesse State Fire Brigade Association, called for a quick review of the law.
A representative for the local government said a fireproof wall had prevented the flames from spreading to another section of the building.
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The cause of the fire has not been confirmed yet, but early reports suggested that a battery charger may have overheated.
Schäfer stated that, for the safety of the community and to boost local morale, the building would need to be rebuilt as soon as possible. Officials said they would consider whether the new building would be fitted with a fire alarm system.
