Young detonators set the garage on fire – the fire department is on duty!

Young detonators set the garage on fire – the fire department is on duty!

An incident caused a stir in the Cologne neighborhood on Saturday evening: three boys between the ages of 9 and 12 set fire to an armchair in an open garage on Kopernikusweg. According to the News.de The accident occurred because the children were playing with a lighter. The damage caused is estimated at around 100 euros, but that may only be the tip of the iceberg, as additional costs for the fire service are expected.

The question for residents was: Who will pay for the damage? Information on the liability of children and parents can be found in a similar case in Elze, where two boys also started a fire by setting fires. The city of Elze demanded the costs of the fire brigade operation amounting to around 38,000 euros from the children's parents. The mother of one of the boys sued against the fee decision, but was unable to convince them. The court held that the children could be held responsible for gross negligence. In particular, inciting a friend to light a fire was seen as a serious mistake. However, what is necessary for this assessment is the children's ability to judge, which is assumed from a certain age, usually from the age of nine BFB.

The responsibility of parents

The parents of the young people affected have a responsibility because they are liable if they violate their duty of supervision. In many cases, parents argue that they did not allow their children to play ignition games, but it often depends on the individual case. This also takes into account whether supervision has been appropriately adapted to the age and experience of the child. A judgment teaches us that when children with mental capacity cause harm, the ultimate responsibility remains with the parents as long as they are considered to have a duty of care and do not fulfill this duty. Things could be similar in Cologne if the parents of the boys involved in the accident cannot prove that they have taken sufficient precautions.

So what follows from these events? It is not only a call for vigilance, but also a reminder that playing with fire can be not only dangerous but also costly. Parents are well advised to think intensively about the risks and to sensitize their children. After all, not only material damage, but also the future of many children can be at stake if large amounts of damage are involved. For the affected parents of the Cologne boys it is now time to be careful and take responsibility.

For future cases, it remains to be seen how the legal framework will be interpreted in similar situations, both in Cologne and elsewhere. Ultimately, everyone involved must learn from such incidents in order to possibly prevent future fires.