Fire alarm in Karstädt: mill by fire badly damaged!

Fire alarm in Karstädt: mill by fire badly damaged!

In the early morning hours of June 23, 2025, a devastating fire was affected by the Avena Greidemühle in Karstädt. At 4.30 a.m. the fire alarm system triggered, and the Karstadt fire brigade immediately knew that a quick action was in demand. The flames spread quickly, which caused the fire brigade to alert further weirs to support. A total of around 100 firefighters were deployed, including several large turntable ladder vehicles. Thanks to its operational readiness, the fire could be prevented from attacking the production hall as well as adjacent factories and the railway site, which remained undisturbed. [Nordkurier reports that…] (https://www.nordkurier.de/regional/prignitz/haferflocken-muehle-in-karstaedt- through-brand-zerstoert-3692755)

The situation was tense, but luckily there were no injuries. Managing Director Frank Plüschke found that five of the 50 employees were able to leave the building in good time. A fireman was treated for circulatory problems, which is not unusual in such challenging conditions. However, the extinguishing work was difficult: strong gusts of wind made it even difficult to combat the fire, while drone commands by the Perleberger fire brigade offered valuable support from the air.

cause of the fire and possible relationships

The fire brigade operation was able to prevent the fire from spreading further, but the destruction of the mill is considerable. The false ceiling and the ceiling of the Mühlenhalle have collapsed, and the resumption of production is not possible for the time being. The first assumptions of the cause of the fire indicate a possible inflammation of a oat shell press or a lightning strike during a thunderstorm. The police have already started investigations on the site to clarify the exact cause of the fire. The situation also raises interesting questions: According to IFS, fires in production facilities are often due to technical defects or environmental influences. Are there any teachings that can be drawn from this incident?

In addition, the incident reminds of similar events: just a few days ago there was a far-reaching fire service in a similar mill in Essen, where a fire was reported due to smoke development in a high-lying plant part. In this case, over 50 emergency services were deployed, and there too the fire brigade was able to prevent worse things without being injured. Presseportal informs about what is happening in Essen.

The news about the fire not only affected the mill community in Karstädt, but also throws a light on the importance of fire protection measures and fast reactions of the emergency services. It remains to be seen how quickly the mill will be functional again and which measures will be taken in the future to avoid such incidents.