Status: 06/30/2023 08:29 a.m
A major fire broke out in a porcelain factory in Varel (Friesland district) on Thursday evening. A huge cloud of smoke rose above the premises of the “Friesland Porzellan” company.
As the police informed the NDR Lower Saxony on Friday morning, the fire is now under control. The fire brigade therefore wants to use drones to check from the air whether there are other fire nests. The post-extinguishing work is expected to continue throughout the morning. Five warehouses are said to have been destroyed by the fire. The extent to which other buildings are damaged is being investigated.
At times 250 emergency services on the premises of the porcelain factory
According to the information, up to 250 emergency services from the fire brigade, the Technical Relief Agency (THW) and the German Red Cross (DRK) were deployed on the site. Farmers also helped with the extinguishing work with tractors and water tanks. A police spokesman said why the fire broke out can only be clarified once the scene of the fire has cooled down. He did not assume that people were injured on Friday morning.
Dense cloud of smoke: Residents should keep windows closed
According to the information, meter-high flames erupted from the warehouses, and a dense cloud of smoke could be seen from afar. Residents had been asked to keep their windows and doors closed because of the heavy smoke in the evening. This warning was still in effect on Friday morning. According to the police, there are a total of 14 halls close together on the winding site of the factory. The porcelain factory built in the 1950s belonged to the Melitta Group until 1991. Coffee tableware is still manufactured in Varel under the “Friesland Porzellan” brand.
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NDR 1 Lower Saxony | Current | 06/30/2023 | 08:00 a.m