Shortly after 4 p.m. this afternoon, the Mainz fire department was called to Ludwigsburger Straße on Hartenberg to respond to a balcony fire. The heat of the fire caused the outer pane of the window glazing to crack, but fortunately did not spread to the apartment. The burning balcony furniture was extinguished using a turntable ladder and a C-pipe. The fire was caused by a cigarette that had been stubbed out in a flower pot, which ignited the soil. There was minor damage to the building, but no one was injured.

The fire department advises:
Potting soil consists mainly of highly flammable biomass. In plant pots, it dries out very quickly in the current weather conditions and is easily ignited. Therefore, flower pots are not suitable for use as ashtrays.
For the same reason, they should not be carelessly discarded outdoors. Burning cigarette butts should always be disposed of in a non-flammable ashtray.

Head of operations: Fire Chief Axel Kiesewalter
Vehicles BF/FF: 5
Personnel BF/FF: 17

On Sunday evening at around 10:40 p.m., the fire department control center received several emergency calls from the student residence on Max-Hufschmidt-Straße. The reports indicated a fire in one of the apartments, smoke-filled escape routes, and residents trapped inside the building complex. The relevant units of the professional fire department, the Mainz-Weisenau volunteer fire department, and the health section management were alerted.

The fire was confirmed on the first floor. A team wearing breathing apparatus fought the fire. Thanks to the rapid response of the fire department, the fire was contained to the residential unit. Meanwhile, the building was evacuated and the approximately one hundred residents were looked after by the health section management. Two residents required medical attention. While the interior attack was still underway, the building was ventilated using a positive pressure fan to remove the smoke.

Once the operation was complete, the residents were able to re-enter the building. The police have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.

Head of operations: Fire Department Chief Bernhard Fischer
Vehicles BF/FF: 10/2 + health section management
Personnel BF/FF: 27/9

Early this afternoon, an unusual accident occurred on Alexander-Diehl-Straße. For reasons unknown at this time, a car drove through a garden and crashed into the wall of an apartment building. Contrary to initial assumptions, no one was trapped in the vehicle. The fire department secured a gas cylinder that had been hit in the accident and disconnected the vehicle's battery. The impact caused considerable damage to the vehicle and the building.

Fortunately, the family escaped with only a scare; despite flying glass shards, there were no serious injuries.

The driver of the car was taken to a hospital in Mainz by the emergency services.

Head of operations: Fire Chief Inspector Marius Dick Fire department
vehicles: 4 Fire department
personnel: 16

Early Thursday morning at 2:39 a.m., several callers from a nearby gym reported a fire in the workshop area of a car dealership on Alte Mainzer Straße. The fire department control center then alerted emergency personnel from both professional fire stations as well as the Mainz-Hechtsheim volunteer fire department.

When the emergency services arrived, flames were shooting out of the partially glazed front of the building, some of the windows had already burst due to the heat, and the affected part of the building (approx. 50 m x 40 m) was completely filled with smoke.   

 The fire department immediately began fighting the fire from outside to prevent it from spreading further. At the same time, another team wearing breathing apparatus gained access to the interior of the large workshop hall.  

Other teams wearing breathing apparatus explored the smoke-filled interior of the hall and created exhaust vents. Another team checked the roof area above the fire site using a ladder. The directly adjacent main and sales building was also checked for possible smoke spread, but fortunately the main building was not affected.

The fire was quickly brought under control with two C-hoses, and the "fire out" signal was given just 22 minutes after the first emergency services arrived. The hall then had to be thoroughly cleared of smoke, which was done by mechanically ventilating the hall section by section with special positive pressure fans. 

The municipal utility company's fault clearance service disconnected the affected area from the power supply. After a final inspection of the scene of the fire with a thermal imaging camera and final extinguishing work, the operation was completed at 4:30 a.m.

The criminal investigation department has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire. No information can be provided on the extent of the damage at this time.

In addition to the fire department, the following were also involved in the operation: the rescue service with an ambulance, the police with several patrol cars and the criminal investigation department, as well as the Mainz municipal utility company's fault clearance service.

Head of operations: Fire Department Chief René Adler Fire department
vehicles: 1 command vehicle, 2 fire engines, 1 command vehicle (K), 1 multi-purpose vehicle / 2 fire engines Fire department
personnel: 18 officers from the professional fire department / 12 officers from the Mainz-Hechtsheim volunteer fire department
Image rights: Image rights belong to the Mainz city administration.

Early this evening at around 6:30 p.m., the Mainz Fire Department was called to a room fire on Barbarossaring. Alert neighbors noticed the beeping of a smoke alarm and smelled smoke in the stairwell. They then notified the fire department, which immediately responded with a fire engine.

A team wearing breathing apparatus was able to extinguish the fire quickly. To keep the stairwell smoke-free, a mobile smoke barrier was hung in the apartment door and a positive pressure fan was used. Fortunately, no one was in the apartment at the time of the fire, so only the building was damaged. The apartment is uninhabitable until further notice.

The fire department was supported by the rescue service and the police. The operation caused temporary disruptions to public transport. The cause of the fire is unclear, and the criminal investigation department has launched an investigation.

Head of operations: Fire Chief Axel Kiesewalter
Vehicles BF/FF: 5/0
Personnel BF/FF: 18/0
Image material: Image rights belong to the Mainz city administration.

A fire broke out at the citadel on Wednesday night, presumably as a result of arson. The fire department was alerted at around 11:30 p.m. Initially, it was assumed to be a small fire, as only a wheelbarrow was burning. When the emergency services arrived, this assumption was confirmed, but the wheelbarrow was right next to the door to the basement of the building authority, and part of the door leaf had already burned through. The fire was quickly extinguished. The massive door then had to be forced open, as smoke had already spread extensively inside the building, requiring ventilation measures with a high-pressure fan.

The rapid intervention of the fire department prevented more serious damage. If the fire had spread to the basement, the consequences would have been immense, as large quantities of building authority files are stored there. After extinguishing and ventilating the area, the fire department secured the entrance door.

A 35-year-old man was arrested by the police at the scene. He is suspected of having started the fire. The criminal investigation department is now investigating.

Head of operations: Fire Department Councilor Klemens Boenke
Vehicles BF/FF: 1 rescue fire engine, 1 small alarm vehicle, 1 command vehicle
Personnel BF/FF: 10 officers from the professional fire department

Early Wednesday evening, the Mainz fire department was alerted by the control center to a room fire in Mainz-Drais. According to the caller, the fire was in the kitchen, and smoke was already coming out of a window on the ground floor. It was suspected that there were still people in the apartment at that time.

The Mainz-Drais volunteer fire department was the first to arrive on the scene and was able to quickly enter the heavily smoke-filled apartment wearing heavy breathing apparatus and rescue one person. During the course of the operation, the apartment was searched for other missing persons and firefighting measures were initiated at the same time. Fortunately, no one else was in the apartment and the fire was quickly extinguished. The rescued person was handed over to the emergency medical services and taken to a hospital in Mainz with smoke inhalation. The fire department ventilated the apartment with a high-performance fan.

Once the fire department had completed its work, the scene was handed over to the police. The criminal investigation department has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.

In addition to the Mainz professional fire department with 17 personnel, the Mainz-Drais volunteer fire department with eight personnel, a police patrol car, and the emergency services with three ambulances and a patient transport vehicle were also on site.

Head of operations: Fire Department Chief Michael Weitzel
Vehicles BF/FF: 5/2
Personnel BF/FF: 17/8

Late on Friday evening, the Mainz fire department was called to provide technical assistance on the banks of the Rhine in Mainz. A baby had slipped between two boards of a park bench with its leg stuck. The mother was unable to free her child on her own. With the help of passers-by, the fire department was called to assist.

The emergency services first tried to free the child with the help of a lubricant, but this was unsuccessful and the child should not be subjected to unnecessary stress. Due to the slight swelling of the leg, the emergency services decided to cut the board with a saw in order to gently remove the leg.

The little boy was then handed over to the emergency medical services, who were also present, and the police were also on site with a bicycle patrol.

Head of operations: Fire Inspector Nicolas Moutty
Vehicles BF: 2
Personnel BF: 8