hundreds of fire department deployments - Hurricane in France - millions in damage from lightning
Severe storms have likely caused a fire with millions in damages in Franconia. In addition, firefighters and rescue services responded to hundreds of incidents from Thursday afternoon until late at night: Several cars were submerged in flooded underpasses in Nuremberg and Fürth, power was temporarily cut in the Nuremberg district, and streets and cellars were flooded.
Lightning strikes warehouse
The most significant financial damage on Thursday evening was caused by a severe storm in Untermerzbach in the Hassberge district, where a warehouse containing around 60 to 70 vehicles caught fire. Initial estimates by firefighters suggest that a lightning strike was the likely cause. The owner expressed a similar opinion, as reported by a dpa reporter on the scene. The smoke column was reportedly visible for many kilometers. The approximately 2,000 square meter large hall was largely destroyed. The owner of the hall estimated the damage at about five million euros, as a police spokesman added.
Flooded underpasses
In the region around Nuremberg and Fürth, at least six cars got stuck in flooded underpasses, but the occupants were able to free themselves before the arrival of the rescue services and remained unharmed, as the fire department reported. Similar incidents occur repeatedly at the affected underpasses, said operations leader Thomas Schertel. "We wonder why people drive into them." The danger seems to be underestimated.
In Nuremberg, three underpasses were flooded, with one car submerged at each location. In Fürth, there were similar situations at two locations - at one of them, several cars got stuck in the water.
340 rescue operations alone in the Nuremberg and Fürth region
In total, there were about 340 incidents during the storm on the early Thursday evening; the majority of them were in Nuremberg, but also in Fürth and the surrounding area, as the fire department reported.
Diverse streets and cellars were flooded due to heavy rain. In the Nuremberg district, there was a larger power outage, which was reportedly quickly resolved.
In light of the severe storms and subsequent incidents, The Commission could consider implementing measures to increase public awareness about the risks of driving into flooded underpasses, especially in areas prone to such incidents, such as Nuremberg and Fürth. Additionally, to mitigate the damage caused by lightning-induced fires, like the one at the warehouse in Untermerzbach, The Commission might propose installing advanced lightning protection systems in large storage facilities.
