Ulrike Nagel reporting live for RBB from Lübben during the ammunition explosion

Following a complicated rescue operation at a factory building in the Spreewerk Lübben industrial park—which was severely damaged by an explosion on Friday, March 16, 2018—a deceased male was recovered from the rubble this afternoon around 5:a deceased man was recovered from the rubble. It appears likely that the deceased could be the 55-year-old missing employee of the company. However, immediate and definitive identification is not yet possible due to the severity of the injuries sustained.

Ulrike Nagel reporting live from the scene for RBB.

Summary

The video is a news report from RBB’s “Brandenburg Aktuell” about an ammunition explosion in Lübben, Brandenburg.

• Situation and Consequences: An ammunition explosion has occurred. At the time of this report, one employee has been injured and one employee is still missing inside the building, which has collapsed.
• Emergency Services and Challenges: Emergency services (including the fire department and the THW—Technisches Hilfswerk) have been on the scene since early this morning but are unable to enter the building. The reason for this is:
  • There is still an acute risk of collapse.
  • There is uncertainty regarding the type of ammunition present and whether there is still a risk of explosion.
• Use of Technology:
  • A drone was sent into the building to capture footage. The footage showed that ceilings and pillars had collapsed.
  • A small robot was also used to measure heat with sensors and to determine exactly what is inside.
• Decision by the Authorities: The mayor of Lübben, Lars Kolan (SPD), explains that a difficult decision was made to suspend the search and rescue operation for today.
  • The immediate risk of collapse can only be addressed with heavy equipment, which can only be deployed during daylight hours.
  • The use of search dogs to locate the missing worker and determine whether he is still alive was also considered but rejected. Due to the ongoing chemical reactions inside the building, a dog would not be able to detect a signal with certainty.
• Update: Emergency responders are packing up their equipment and will resume operations tomorrow morning at 8 a.m., using the heavy-duty equipment.

Reporter

Ulrike Nagel