PVTIME – Emergency crews battled a severe warehouse fire in Wittdorf, Neumünster, from the early hours of Tuesday, 30 June. The building was completely destroyed, and dense toxic smoke spread across the town, paralysing key regional rail links.
The police confirmed that the site stored electric scooter lithium batteries, though a causal link between these and the spread of the fire remains unconfirmed while the investigation progresses. No injuries have been reported to date.
All local Neumünster fire crews attended the scene, supported by neighbouring brigades and specialist resources from Hamburg. Between 250 and 300 firefighters were deployed, and the blaze had not been fully contained at the time of reporting.
The Hamburg to Kiel and Hamburg to Flensburg railway lines, which run adjacent to the warehouse, have been closed entirely. Deutsche Bahn reported widespread delays and cancellations for all services heading towards Hamburg. Full road closures were enforced on Wrangelstraße and Rügenstraße, and residents were advised to keep their windows and doors shut to avoid exposure to toxic fumes.
The same building suffered a significant fire on Saturday, 27 June. Combined fire and criminal investigation teams are examining three potential sources of ignition: electrical faults, thermal runaway from stacked battery cells and non-compliant hazardous material storage practices.
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