Warning of toxic fire gases: Danger in Rothberg!

Warning of toxic fire gases: Danger in Rothberg!

The situation in the Rothberg area in the Dahme-Spreewald district is alarming. Today, June 21st, 2025, the Dahme-Spreewald control center warned at 7:50 p.m. of dangerous fire gases caused by a straw bale fire. This event affects the federal states of Brandenburg, Dahme-Spreewald and Teltow-Fläming. The heavy smoke development not only causes a significant odor nuisance, but also poses an acute threat to the health of residents, as news.de reports.

Dangerous fire gases can cause serious injuries or even death, with the respiratory toxins often being present in high concentrations. Despite this serious development, the risk is now classified as low. However, it is advisable to take the following safety precautions:

• Meiden des betroffenen Gebiets
• Schließen von Fenstern und Türen
• Abschalten von Lüftungen und Klimaanlagen

The dangers of fire gases

But what exactly are these dangerous fire gases? Fires produce various toxic gases, depending on the type of material being burned and the temperature. A report from feuertrutz.de explains that fire gases consist of oxides such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide as well as inert components and pyrolysis products. Smoke is also formed when solid or liquid particles such as soot become airborne during the combustion process.

Smoke is usually denser and also contains dangerous substances that pose serious health risks depending on their concentration and duration of exposure. Interestingly, the amount of smoke produced by different materials can vary enormously - around 2,500 m³ of smoke is produced when burning linoleum, for example, while heating oil can produce up to 25,000 m³ of smoke. Therefore, an effective smoke extraction system is essential to keep the situation under control.

Smoke extraction systems in the event of a fire

Smoke extraction systems that are specified in building regulations can play a crucial role here. These systems are designed to expel smoke through special openings in the roof or upper areas of a room, making extinguishing work much easier for fire departments. There is a distinction between natural and mechanical smoke extraction systems, each of which offers its own advantages, as explained on brandschutz.berlin.

The natural smoke and heat extraction systems (NRA) use thermals, while the mechanical systems (MRA) use electric fans to actively direct the smoke outside. Ultimately, such systems are able to increase safety in buildings and significantly reduce the dangers caused by fire gases.

It remains to be hoped that the situation in Rothberg can be defused as quickly as possible. The responsible authorities will announce an all-clear as soon as the dangerous situation is under control. Stay alert and follow the recommendations of the fire department and regional authorities to protect yourself and others.