In Konstanz around 60 people were brought to safety from a block of flats in Schultheißstraße during the night of 31 October to 1 November. According to the Konstanz Fire Brigade flames spread from several waste-paper bins to the façade. The full-time fire station and volunteer units were alerted at 00:04. A fully fledged building fire was prevented.
No serious injuries were reported. The emergency services provided support to numerous people at the scene, some of them in a bus provided by Konstanz Municipal Utilities. Emergency crews extinguished the burning waste-paper bins and sections of the façade, checked adjoining areas for hotspots and ventilated the building. Once the immediate response was over, the fire brigade handed the scene over to Konstanz Police.
The criminal police has launched an investigation into suspected arson. No specific findings about the cause or possible suspects were initially available. Police appealed for witnesses to come forward. They did not initially provide an estimate of the material damage.
The city arranged short-term support for residents whose homes had been affected by smoke or heat. The incident commander stressed that the rapid alert and evacuation helped prevent more serious injuries. Neighbours helped people leave the building while the fire brigade and ambulance service coordinated the rescue and firefighting efforts.
According to the fire brigade, publicly accessible waste containers near façades are a known risk factor: fires in waste-paper bins can spread rapidly along façade components. Municipalities and fire services therefore recommend placing containers a sufficient distance from buildings. Whether the city of Konstanz will change the distances or locations depends on the investigation’s findings.
The operation took place in the area of the old town and the district of Paradies , where dense development poses particular challenges for firefighting. The Konstanz Fire Brigade documented the operation and pointed to its close cooperation with Konstanz Police and the criminal investigation department. Further investigations are intended to establish how the fire started and whether it was deliberately set.
The authorities said they would inform the public once reliable findings were available. Until then, it remains unclear whether the fire in the waste-paper bins was caused by a technical fault, negligence or deliberate action.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).