Großeinsatz für die Feuerwehr Selfkant - Wohnhaus in Vollbrand

Major operation in Selfkant-Höngen: House engulfed in flames – Resident found after hours Selfkant-Höngen. A devastating house fire has kept emergency services in Selfkant-Höngen busy since early Monday morning. What began with an alarm at 6:44 a.m. quickly escalated into a large-scale operation. The resident, initially reported missing, was found inside the building during the firefighting efforts. The operation is still ongoing. When the first fire crews arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the emergency call, they were met with a dramatic sight: The house was already fully engulfed in flames. The fire had spread rapidly. During the initial assessment, it immediately became clear that the initially dispatched forces would not be sufficient to handle the massive fire. The incident commander reacted immediately and issued a major alarm to request additional personnel and equipment. The firefighting efforts proved extremely complex and time-consuming. The fire had spread rapidly, engulfing the basement, the garage, and the roof of the house. Throughout the morning, particular concern was placed on the building's resident, who was initially nowhere to be found. Since entering the house during the intense fire was life-threatening, he was located only much later. After the majority of the massive firefighting efforts were completed and the crews wearing breathing apparatus were able to advance further, the man was finally found by emergency personnel on the first floor. The scale of the fire required a broad coalition of various specialists. In addition to a large contingent of firefighters, police, and regular ambulance services, further specialized units were deployed. To provide sustenance for the numerous firefighters during the grueling, hours-long battle against the flames, the German Red Cross (DRK) catering unit was called to the scene. In addition, the incident commanders called in an external structural engineer to assess the building's structural integrity, which had been severely compromised by the fire, and to ensure the safety of the advancing crews. The responsible energy supplier was also on site to safely disconnect the building from the electricity and gas supply. Even many hours after the initial emergency call, the operation is still ongoing. Firefighting efforts and the search for remaining embers in the ruins are still underway. As soon as the fire department has definitively secured and cleared the scene, the criminal investigation department will begin its investigation into the cause of the fire, which is currently completely unknown. The building is severely damaged and uninhabitable. A warning was issued to the public via the NINA warning app regarding the odor nuisance caused by smoke and a request to keep doors and windows closed.