Major fire at a scrapyard in the Mannheim port area causes heavy smoke

A large cloud of smoke has spread over Mannheim due to a fire at a scrapyard in the Mannheim port area. According to their own information, the fire department is on site with a large contingent. “The extinguishing work is continuing, and the end of the operation is not yet foreseeable,” the fire department announced in the evening. There was talk of two injuries.

According to the information, there may be a smell and visibility problems. People should avoid the affected area in the Neckarstadt-West district, residents should keep windows and doors closed and turn off ventilation and air conditioning, and drivers should avoid the area as much as possible.

Cause unclear

“The smoke development is still very strong,” it was said in the evening. “The advice to keep doors and windows closed has now been extended to the entire city.”

The exact cause was initially unclear. According to the fire department, a pile of scrap metal, which also contained plastic and textiles, caught fire in the morning. Emergency services took measurements in the Mannheim city area and in the surrounding communities to rule out any danger to the population. The smell of fire could be felt beyond the city limits, said a spokesman.