Berlin, 3 May 2024- Devastating fire in a metal factory in Berlin, the Diehl Metal Applications. Bild talks about risk of toxic cloud. Still The causes of the fire are not known. AND They are not injured or intoxicated.
Adrian Wenzel, spokesman for the fire brigade, told the media: “The building is now completely burned on four floors. Part of it has already collapsed.” The Diehl group has a specialized sector in defense and produces, among other things, components of Iris-T anti-aircraft defense system, provided for example to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The German media write that at midday the Berlin firefighters alerted citizens in the areas potentially affected by the toxic fumes caused by the fire via the Nina app, which provides information on emergencies. People are asked to avoid the affected area, to close windows and doors and to turn off ventilation and air conditioning systems.
Fire at the Berlin metal factory, photo by local firefighters
“We can confirm that chemicals are also burning in the building. They are stored there sulfuric acid and copper cyanide. There is a risk of it forming hydrogen cyanide” and that it then rises “into the air with smoke,” Wenzel told the Bild newspaper. “There are currently 130 firefighters in action,” he added.
The municipality of Berlin has issued a official danger warning, advising to avoid the area. Students and teachers from surrounding schools were sent home.
According to initial information from the fire brigade, there were no poisonings. A spokesman for Diehl Metall, in response to questions, stated that, according to his information, no dangerous contamination was detected for health. The chemicals mentioned are present in the plant only in limited quantities.
Anyway on “many cell phones” this afternoon an alert appeared warning of a“extremely dangerous”. “After evaluating the weather conditions and wind direction, the smoke is moving from the intervention area towards the north,” the fire brigade team announced. However, according to the fire brigade spokesperson, it is not clear up to what distance the smoke could be dangerous to health.
Click here if you want to sign up to Qn’s WhatsApp system
