Fire in Cologne-Otheim: two apartments uninhabitable, several injuries!

Fire in Cologne-Otheim: two apartments uninhabitable, several injuries!

In the morning of May 29, 2025, there was a serious fire in a three-story apartment building in Cologne-Otheim, more precisely on Rösrather Straße. According to the fire brigade, the building was in full fire, and the flames already hit the windows. A first emergency call received at 7:39 a.m. when neighbors registered fire from the building and suspected possible people inside. The fire brigade was immediately alerted under alarm level 2, which made a human rescue necessary.

The rescue workers, a total of around 35 fire brigade and emergency services, were able to quickly penetrate the building. Six people were successfully saved in the course of the mission. While everyone remained intact except for one man, he had to be taken to the hospital as a precaution on suspicion of flue gas poisoning. Two residents had saved themselves onto the roof and were brought to safety using a turntable ladder.

damage and investigation

The fire has become two apartments of the apartment building uninhabitable, which significantly exacerbates the situation for the residents concerned. The criminal police have started the cause of the fire in order to find out how this incident could occur. While the operation ended around 9:15 a.m., Rösrather Strasse remained temporarily closed.

The causes of such heavy fires are often complex. According to current statistics, human failure and technical defects often show as the most common causes, which underlines the need for preventive measures for fire prevention. For more information on fire damage and its causes, interested readers can visit the page of the IFS ( ifs ).

Overall, the use showed that even in critical situations, a quick and coordinated reaction of the fire brigade and emergency services can enable life rescue and damage minimization. An urgent appeal remains to always be vigilant and take the necessary safety precautions.

Report for further details about the incident in Cologne-osteim t-online and Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger comprehensively about the events and the consequences of the fire.