Burning garbage cans in Olfen: Fire brigade saves the retirement home from fire!

In Olfen kam es am 25. Juni 2025 zu einem Einsatz der Feuerwehr aufgrund brennender Mülltonnen auf dem Gelände eines Seniorenheims.
In Olfen, the fire brigade was deployed on June 25, 2025 due to burning garbage cans on the site of a retirement home. (Symbolbild/MB)

Burning garbage cans in Olfen: Fire brigade saves the retirement home from fire!

A fire in the senior citizens' home in Olfen led to a good fire service last Wednesday, June 25, 2025. At around 5:20 p.m., an attentive employee of the home complex on the street "An der Altenfahrt" noticed smoke development and immediately alerted the fire brigade. When the emergency services arrived, two garbage cans were already on fire. The exact causes of the fire have so far been unclear.

Fortunately, the fire brigade was able to quickly intervene and extinguish the fire before it could spread to an adjacent green area. Nevertheless, the flames left their mark: a neighboring tree and the low vegetation on the roadside were also damaged. The Coesfeld police have started the investigation into the incident and asks for relevant information. Witnesses can contact the police on 02541-140 to possibly contribute to clarifying the cause of the fire. [Tixio] reports that the professional helpers were saved from worse without the spread of the fire to the site of the old people's home.

alternatives and risks in the focus

fires in social institutions are not a rare event. According to a report of the fire protection information portal in Germany, a total of 137 fires in elderly and care homes occurred at 15 People died and 257 were injured. These frightening numbers illustrate the high risk of people in need.

The most common causes of fire are according to the Federal Association of Technical Fire Protection on the flamed kitchen appliances, defective technical devices, Arson and negligent behavior when smoking. Although most social institutions have fire protection measures, the current equipment is often considered inadequate. The discussion about the legal introduction of sprinklers in old people's and nursing homes is getting louder- a measure that not only has a preventive effect, but could also save lives.

The incident in Olfen is an impressive example of how important it is to continuously check and improve the security standards in such facilities. Every fire is one too much, and especially for older people, a small incident can have devastating consequences. [Presseportal] therefore addresses the need for increased attention and measures to prevent fires in retirement homes.

Details
OrtAn der Alten Fahrt, 59399 Olfen, Deutschland
Quellen