Blitz strikes: Pulsnitz suffers from less than two million euros

Blitz strikes: Pulsnitz suffers from less than two million euros

Dr.-Wilhelm-Külz-Straße, Pulsnitz, Deutschland - A lightning strike in an apartment building on Dr.-Wilhelm-Külz-Straße in Pulsnitz caused massive damage on June 1, 2025. The incident hit the community in the early morning when the residents were woken up by a loud bang. The witness Andrea Lähner said that she heard at 5 o'clock as the lightning struck, and shortly afterwards a fire broke out. She immediately alerted the fire brigade and helped to wake other residents. Their quick reaction and that of the other helpers were crucial for the security of the tenants.

A total of 130 helpers were deployed, including 83 firefighters to combat the fire. sächsische.de reports that 22 tenants have lost their home, while most of the 24 apartments in the building are uninhabitable due to water damage. Mayor Barbara Lüke stated that support for the residents concerned was set up, including breakfast care in the Vamed Clinic.

damage and causes research

The estimated total damage amounts to around 2 million euros. Fire causes currently check whether a lightning protection system was present. VDE emphasizes that lightning strikes are causing fires and the installation of lightning protection facilities is essential to prevent such incidents. However, these systems, which distinguish between external and internal lightning protection, cannot guarantee absolute protection.

A lightning protection system derives the lightning current without damage into the ground and consists of various components such as catching devices, derivation systems and grounding systems. The lack of such a system can have serious consequences, as it became clear in the case of Pulsnitz. The results of the ongoing investigations to the incident are to be published at the end of June. Wikipedia explains the historical developments and the technical evolution of lightning protection methods, which have been continuously advanced since the first installations in the 18th century.

Again and again lightning strikes are also responsible for massive damage in other regions. For example, there were similar incidents in Oberried/Südbaden and Walsdorf in 2019. On the case of these, the top floors were set on fire, whereby the fire brigade could intervene quickly to prevent worse damage. VDE cites the need for lightning protection facilities in the future. Experts advise to equip buildings with suitable protective measures to increase the security standards and reduce the risk.