A violent fire in an arms factory in Berlin, what are the major risks?

A major fire broke out at the Diehl Metal factory in Berlin on Friday May 3. The factory notably produces weapons equipment for Ukraine. Residents are invited to confine themselves, a major system has been put in place to put out the fire.

The incident would have started around 10:30 a.m. in a technical room on the first floor of the factory, according to the German media Picture, this Friday, May 3. A violent fire broke out in Berlin, in an establishment of the industrial group Diehl Metal. In this factory, located west of Berlin, the company manufactures, among other things, weapons such as IRIS-T SLM air defense systems, which are currently delivered to the Ukrainian army.

On Twitter, Internet users shared impressive images of the fire. Thick black smoke can be seen coming from the factory.

Residents urged to confine themselves

The smoke is heading north and therefore towards the urbanized area of ​​Berlin. According to Berlin fire spokesman Adrian Wanzel, it could contain sulfuric acid and hydrogen cyanide. This cloud of smoke being potentially toxic and dangerous, the population of part of Berlin is invited to confine themselves and close their windows tightly. On Twitter, a map posted by the firefighters shows the area affected by these instructions. Firefighters are currently measuring the level of air toxicity in the streets of the area.

Children from nearby schools were confined to their establishments while waiting for their parents to come pick them up. The firefighters, of whom there are at least 170 mobilized, work in protective suits. 7 and a half hours after the start of the fire, it is still not under control, says the media Berliner Zeitung. “We have the problem of not being able to reach the depths to put out the fire,” explains the fire brigade spokesperson. “The rubble of the collapsed building is layered on top of one another and we can only access it from the outside,” he continued. No one was injured, no deaths were reported. The operation is expected to continue into the night.