Herborn 1987 – Ein Tankzug rast ins Zentrum. Drei Minuten bis zur Explosion

July 7, 1987, Herborn. A tanker truck carrying more than 34,000 liters of gasoline and diesel fuel, its brakes failing, careened into the city center and overturned at the intersection of Hauptstraße and Westerwaldstraße. Three minutes later, the spilled fuel mixture ignited. Several houses were engulfed in flames within a very short time. Burning fuel flowed into the sewer system, and manhole covers were hurled through the air by explosions as far away as 700 meters. The first vehicle from the Herborn Volunteer Fire Department, a TLF 24/50 (tanker truck), arrived four minutes after the alarm was raised. What the crew encountered exceeded all pre-planned operational procedures. This film reconstructs the documented phases of the operation: the initial situation report from the TLF 24/50 (fire engine), the rescue of people by the crews of the DLK 23-12 (aerial ladder truck) and RW 2 (rescue vehicle), the water supply from the Dill River, the failed foam attack on the tanker truck, the disaster alarm at 9:27 p.m., the assumption of command by Fire Chief Prof. Ernst Achilles, the risk of explosion in the sewer system, and the multi-day deployment of rescue and recovery teams. More than 500 firefighters. Six dead. 38 injured. Twelve houses burned down. And one question: How does such an event change the system it is meant to combat? If you were there—as a firefighter, THW (Federal Agency for Technical Relief) volunteer, paramedic, or eyewitness—share your memories in the comments. New historical fire service documentaries every week. #HerbornFireDepartment #Herborn1987 #FirefightingHistory