Three Workers Killed in Suspected Gas Poisoning at German Leather Factory

Three workers died and two others were left in life-threatening condition after suspected carbon monoxide poisoning struck a leather factory in Runkel, central Hesse, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Authorities investigating the accident at the fur tannery focused on a waste pit on the factory grounds as the likely source of the toxic gas. Criminal police, supported by occupational safety authorities and the relevant social accident insurance institution, launched an investigation into the cause. A funeral service with prayers for the dead and injured was held on Friday evening, April 17. The two surviving workers remained in life-threatening condition as of April 18, according to police.

Rotting animal waste suspected as source of deadly gas The specific processes of leather production created the conditions for the suspected poisoning, according to Martin Kleban, managing director of the Association of the German Leather Industry based in Frankfurt. During the processing of animal hides, organic residues accumulate and are temporarily stored in sewage or waste pits until disposal. Over time, this material ferments and rots, potentially releasing carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and other toxic gases. Hydrogen sulfide, Kleban noted, is the most common cause of fatal tanning accidents worldwide and can paralyze the sense of smell, meaning workers may not realize they are being exposed to a lethal dose. „Most serious accidents in a tannery occur only after the actual manufacturing process” — Martin Kleban via Frankfurter Allgemeine Leather production involves up to 40 processing steps, from soaking and cleaning raw hides to tanning and finishing, making it a chemically complex operation with multiple hazard points throughout the facility.

No fatal leather industry accident in Hesse for a decade The Runkel accident stands out as a statistical anomaly for the sector. According to the DGUV, not a single fatal occupational accident was recorded in leather production and processing in Hesse between 2015 and 2024. The Social Accident Insurance Institution for Raw Materials and the Chemical Industry reported no fatal accidents in the leather industry across all of Germany in either 2023 or 2024. Across all industries combined, Hesse registered approximately 50,000 reportable workplace accidents annually in recent years, down from more than 60,000 in 2015, with fatal cases typically numbering between 25 and 40 per year. Since the start of 2026 alone, several fatal workplace accidents had already occurred in Hesse, including a worker crushed between a loading ramp and a trailer in Brechen, two workers who fell from height inside a wind turbine in Birstein, and a forestry worker killed by a falling treetop in northern Hesse. The Runkel case is described by investigators and industry representatives as exceptional given this broader context.

2015: 60000, 2025: 50000

0 (fatal accidents) — leather industry fatalities in Hesse, 2015–2024

Germany's leather industry has contracted significantly over recent decades as production shifted to regions with larger supplies of animal hides, including North and South America, China, and India. According to the Association of the German Leather Industry, the sector still includes more than 70 manufacturers with around 2,000 employees in Germany, making the country the third largest leather producer in Europe behind Italy and Spain. The industry is subject to strict environmental and safety regulations, including mandatory wastewater monitoring and sewage treatment requirements. Statutory accident insurance for private-sector workers in Germany is administered through Berufsgenossenschaften, employer-funded bodies that also finance compensation and rehabilitation for victims of workplace accidents and occupational diseases.

Rescuers receive psychological support after distressing operation Emergency responders who attended the scene faced significant psychological strain following the recovery operation. District Fire Chief René Schultheis of the Limburg-Weilburg district described the experience in stark terms. „That was a sad and burdensome operation” — René Schultheis via N-tv Leadership personnel closely monitored helpers who participated in the response, and those showing signs of distress or unusual behavior were referred to emergency pastoral care services. The psychological support measures followed standard protocols applied in cases involving multiple fatalities. Attention also turned to the financial and practical support available to the families of the deceased and the two surviving workers, with Berufsgenossenschaften identified as the primary bodies responsible for providing assistance to affected workers and their relatives in the private sector.