Major operation for fire brigade and police on Monday evening in Berlin: In the parking garage of the shopping centre Neukölln Arcaden on Karl-Marx-Straße Several cars caught fire directly next to Neukölln Town Hall.
Initially, there was talk of six vehicles. Later in the evening, a fire department spokesman told the Tagesspiegel that “significantly more” vehicles had burned out completely: at least twelve cars, and others had been damaged by the intense heat and smoke. The exact number has yet to be determined.
© dpa/Sven Käuler
The fire brigade was on site with more than 90 emergency personnel. They were alerted at 5:51 p.m. A large, dark cloud of smoke was quickly visible over the shopping centre and in large parts of Berlin.
In addition, there was a smell of burnt plastic in large parts of Neukölln and Kreuzberg. Due to the heavy smoke, the fire department issued a hazard warning via KatWarn and Nina to inform the population. Residents should keep windows and doors closed.
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The Neukölln Arcades themselves were not affected by the fire or smoke. However, they were evacuated by the fire department as a precaution. “The rapid intervention of the first emergency services and a combined external and internal attack with water limited the spread of fire and smoke,” the fire department said in the evening.
At around 8 p.m., the spokesman told the Tagesspiegel that the fire had been extinguished. No one was injured. “We didn’t have to rescue anyone,” said the spokesman. A firefighter was treated by the emergency services for circulatory problems and taken to hospital.
It is still unclear why the fire broke out in the parking garage with 650 parking spaces – and how badly the building was damaged in the fire. A fire department spokesman spoke in the evening of “minor damage” to the concrete ceilings, which was visible.
© imago/Emmanuele Contini/IMAGO/Emmanuele Contini
The Berlin police were also on site for several hours, primarily to close off streets and support the fire brigade in extinguishing the fire, but also to begin investigating the cause of the fire.
Fire in the Neukölln Arcades: U7 does not stop at Rathaus Neukölln station
The area around the Neukölln Arcaden was cordoned off until late in the evening. For example, Flughafenstrasse, which was no longer accessible between Karl-Marx-Strasse and Hermannstrasse, and Erlanger Strasse.
The traffic information center (VIZ) spoke of “significant traffic restrictions.” It advised people to avoid the area around Flughafenstrasse and Karl-Marx-Strasse.
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The U7 subway line did not stop at Rathaus Neukölln station for several hours due to the fire service operation.
The shopping center, which has been called Neukölln Arcaden since 2003, is home to around 50 shops – from fashion to cosmetics, electronics to food. There is also a cinema and a fitness studio.
After fire in the Neukölln Arcades: Klunkerkranich remains closed
In addition, on the roof of the parking garage, on parking level 6, there is the popular Art and culture roof garden KlunkerkranichThe club was evacuated. “Due to a fire in the Neukölln Arcaden parking garage, we unfortunately have to remain closed today,” the Klunkerkranich announced via Instagram.
The district library, which is located in the shopping center, was also affected. “In the early evening, our district library in the Neukölln Arcaden was also evacuated without incident due to the fire alarm. We hope that the fire brigade will get the fire under control quickly and that the library will be spared,” the district office announced on the X platform.
