Investigation after major fire at luxury yacht shipyard

Fire department operation - Investigation after major fire at luxury yacht shipyard

After the major fire on the grounds of the Lürßen-Kroger shipyard in Schacht-Audorf, the police have taken up investigations to determine the cause. According to a police spokesperson, talks with the company management were planned for Wednesday, as reported by the German Press Agency. Brand investigators are expected to search for clues in the ship hall on Thursday or Friday. A result of the investigations is expected to be announced in two to four weeks.

The fire in a shipbuilding hall had been extinguished since early morning hours, an enterprise spokesperson said on Wednesday. "We will now begin cleanup efforts in coordination with the relevant authorities." Starting on Thursday, the shutdown of the yard operations that had been in effect from Tuesday to Wednesday evening in designated areas of the grounds will be gradually restarted. The spokesperson declined to comment on further details.

Fire department hands over to works fire department

The fire department has now ended the approximately 24-hour-long operation, a fire department spokesperson said on Wednesday. At its peak, up to 420 emergency responders had fought the flames in the ship hall. On Wednesday morning, the fire departments handed over the operation to the works fire department of the shipyard.

At times on Tuesday, temperatures of over 1000 degrees Celsius had ruled in the hall, according to earlier police reports. Thirty residents had to leave their homes due to the evacuation, but they were able to return to their homes on Tuesday evening, a police spokesperson said. The warning apps had already given the all-clear.

What caused the fire?

The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are still unknown, the police spokesperson said. According to the German Press Agency, a new 75-meter-long yacht was under construction in the hall. Its estimated value was reportedly around 100 million euros. The construction (project name Honolulu) was already well advanced. The yard at Rendsburg on the North Sea Canal specializes in building luxury yachts.

In September 2018, a fire on the grounds of the Lürßen shipyard in Bremen-Vegesack caused significant damage. The fire in a floating dock and on a yacht in it posed major challenges for the fire department at the time. According to the "Weser-Kurier," the new construction was a 146-meter-long million-dollar yacht named "Sassi." The yard, however, made no comments on this.

Smoke column visible for kilometers

The fire department intervention began on Tuesday at around 9:20 am. Due to the strong smoke development, the population in the area was asked at times to close windows and doors and turn off ventilation and air conditioning systems. The dense black smoke clouds were partially visible for kilometers. The burning hall and nearby houses were partially enveloped in the smoke clouds. The shipyard workers had to leave the grounds.

The yard has so far not commented on the possible cause of the fire and the ship in the shipbuilding hall. The Lürßen Group has its headquarters in Bremen. At the Schacht-Audorf site, medium and large yachts from 55 to 110 meters in length are built, as well as refits and maintenance work on smaller ships. Larger yachts have also had their launch here.

1. The large fire at the Lürßen-Kroger shipyard in Schacht-Audorf required the assistance of the fire department for approximately 24 hours.
2. Following the fire operation, the fire department handed over control to the works fire department of the shipyard.
3. The German Press Agency reported that the fire department operation involved up to 420 emergency responders battling the flames in a ship hall.
4. The police are investigating the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, which reportedly includes a 75-meter-long yacht valued at around 100 million euros that was under construction in the ship hall.
5. The Lürßen Group, headquartered in Bremen, has a shipyard in Schleswig-Holstein where medium and large yachts are built, including launches of larger yachts.
6. The shipyard in Schacht-Audorf resumed operations in designated areas on Thursday, following the major fire in the shipbuilding hall which had forced a temporary shutdown.

Read also:

• Tough return to normality in snow and ice
• Steinmeier joined a moment of silence - a legal battle over an AfD protest.
• German national soccer team on their way to participate in the European Championship qualifying matches.
• The flooding has lessened, but the aftermath of mud remains.