10,000-cubic-meter scrap fire on Duisburg's Schrottinsel extinguished after roughly one day
A roughly 10,000-cubic-meter scrap metal pile burned for about a day on the Schrottinsel in Duisburg harbor before firefighters declared the blaze extinguished on Saturday evening. No one was injured.
Fire breaks out on the Schrottinsel
A fire erupted on Friday evening on a company grounds on the Schrottinsel in Duisburg's harbor, consuming a scrap metal pile estimated at about 10,000 cubic meters. The Duisburg fire department launched a large-scale operation at 22:00, dispatching up to 150 professional and volunteer firefighters to the scene. The blaze was quickly brought under control, but extinguishing it required sustained work through the night and into the following day. No injuries were reported.
Extinguishing the metal mountain
Firefighters faced the challenge of reaching embers buried deep within the compressed scrap pile. Excavators, including three provided by the affected company, dismantled the burning metal heap scoop by scoop so that crews could douse each nest of embers individually. Three water cannons sprayed water from the Rhine onto the fire from outside. Water supply was drawn from the harbor basin and remained secure despite the currently low Rhine water level. By Saturday evening, emergency responders confirmed the fire was fully extinguished.
- Fire breaks out on company grounds on the Schrottinsel in Duisburg harbor
- Fire department launches large-scale operation with up to 150 responders
- Smoke warning for residents withdrawn
- Fire declared extinguished after roughly one day of work
Smoke and resident safety
The fire produced significant smoke that caused odor nuisances across Duisburg. A warning message regarding the smoke development had been issued but was withdrawn by midday Saturday. Fire department measurement units conducted checks during the night and confirmed there was no danger to nearby residents. The all-clear on the smoke warning came well before the fire itself was declared out.
Cause remains unclear
Police are investigating the origin of the blaze. As of Saturday evening, the cause of the fire had not been determined. The affected site is a commercial scrap operation located on the Schrottinsel, an area within the Duisburg harbor complex dedicated to scrap metal processing. The fire consumed roughly one full day of emergency response resources before being brought to a close.
