Intense Firefighting Effort as Straw Bales Ignite and Burn
A significant fire involving straw and hay bales in Petershagen, Circle Minden-Lübbecke, Germany, has been burning since Wednesday evening. The fire department was alerted about the blaze at approximately 8:45 PM on Wednesday evening.
According to the spokesperson for the fire department, as of Thursday morning, the fire was still burning. The deployment of 139 personnel, including relief staff, suggests that the firefighting operation may be ongoing for an extended period.
The fire covers an area of approximately 550 square meters. Crews are using an excavator and tractors to try and separate stacked bales to extinguish any remaining hotspots. This indicates that the fire department has a significant number of personnel dedicated to controlling the fire.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but the fire is believed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion. This phenomenon can occur when large stacks of straw or hay generate heat internally due to microbial activity and insufficient ventilation, eventually leading to ignition.
Fortunately, there were no reports of any building damage or injuries. The cleanup operation could continue into the afternoon.
The fire department's efforts have been successful in preventing such incidents so far, but the fire still continues to burn as of Thursday morning.
The fire department's ongoing struggle with the significant fire in Petershagen, Circle Minden-Lübbecke, has extended into Thursday, with the incident causing no reported building damage or injuries but potentially causing general-news concern due to the fire's persistence. The weather conditions, despite being unknown, might impact the firefighting operation's progress as the fire's potential ignition source was spontaneous combustion.
