After the major fire on Friederikenstraße in Papenburg the Polizei police estimated the damage on 12 November 2026 at at least €10 million. The fire broke out in the sauna of a fitness centre on 11 November and spread to the building complex and a neighbouring block of flats block of flats. Ten people suffered minor injuries. The cause of the fire was initially unclear.
Police said the residential and commercial complex was completely destroyed. The neighbouring block of flats was also damaged. Neither building could be used or lived in after the fire. The town of Papenburg arranged temporary accommodation for affected residents. The information available did not say how many people had to leave their homes.
According to the investigation so far, the fire started at around 3.15pm on 11 November during a sauna infusion. Two men in the sauna area tried to put out the flames with fire extinguishers. They were unable to do so because the fire spread quickly. Police and fire brigade emergency crews then brought numerous people from the fitness centre and neighbouring business premises to safety. Buildings in the surrounding area were also evacuated as a precaution because of the heavy smoke.
The two men from the sauna area were taken to hospital with suspected smoke inhalation They have since been discharged. Eight emergency responders also suffered minor injuries: four police officers, two firefighters and two ambulance service personnel. Initial reports said three people had been injured; later figures from police gave a higher total.
Several hundred emergency responders took part in fighting the fire and securing the site, police said. According to Norddeutscher Rundfunk, the fire was considered extinguished at around 10.30pm. The area around the damaged buildings was cordoned off over a wide area because of the risk of collapse Police urged people to observe the cordons and stay out of the incident area.
The The Federal Agency for Technical Relief was called in to secure the buildings’ structures. Police said it might be necessary to demolish parts at risk of collapse. It was not yet clear whether or to what extent this would happen. Nor was it known when people would be able to enter the affected buildings again.
Police secured the site of the fire and began investigating its cause. The point where it started is known from the findings so far, but this does not explain why flames broke out there. The extensive destruction and the risk of collapse are hampering further investigations. The damage figure is an initial estimate, not a final assessment. Police said that securing the site and follow-up work were also still under way.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).