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Explosions in Berlin's Grunewald: Why is there a blast site in the middle of a local recreation area?

2022-08-04T21:00:03.817Z


There has been a fire in Berlin's Grunewald forest since the morning, with uncontrolled explosions. The emergency services are helpless for a long time, the fire threatens to spread. The location of the blast site is now in question.


Enlarge image

Former US listening facility on Berlin's Teufelsberg: the column of smoke over Grunewald can be seen in the background

Photo: Michael Sohn/AP

In the early morning at around three o'clock there was a bang in Grunewald, one of the most important local recreation areas in the capital.

Something must have gone wrong at the state of Berlin's detonation site, which is oddly enough in the middle of a forest: uncontrolled explosions occur, and local residents can hear detonations until noon.

Around 25 tons of ordnance and pyrotechnics are stored on the blast site.

After the first attempt to extinguish the fire, the security personnel have to retreat, the risk of injury from flying splinters and debris is too great.

The fire brigade arrives, but cannot do much at first – the situation is far too dangerous, something always explodes.

Nothing works from the air either, the Bundeswehr fire-fighting helicopter is currently in use in Saxony.

The police cordoned off the fire site from a wide area, a security area was set up within a radius of 1000 meters, the nearby Avus city motorway was closed, and train traffic on the railway line towards Wannsee and Potsdam was stopped.

Residents should keep their windows closed, and Berliners are asked not to go out into the woods that day.

The fire brigade and technical relief organization are trying to limit the damage, cutting aisles around the blast site in the forest and watering them.

The forest is bone dry, the fire must not spread under any circumstances.

The police send water cannons.

more on the subject

  • Forest fire after explosion: fire in Grunewald spreads uncontrollably

  • +++ Major fire in Berlin's Grunewald +++: Again explosions at the blast site

During the course of the day, a robot, the “Teodor manipulation vehicle”, a wheelbarrow-sized tracked vehicle from the Bundeswehr, is also deployed to monitor the fire.

"The extinguishing attack can only take place when we know what it looks like there," explains fire department spokesman Thomas Kirstein.

In the early evening hours, the fire brigade can finally get closer and start extinguishing, water is pumped out of the Krumme Lanke and the Havel.

Explosions can be heard again from the blast site.

Rain is forecast for Friday, only then could the situation ease up a bit.

But the most important question in view of the dramatic events is: What is the purpose of a blast site in the middle of one of the most important local recreation areas in Berlin?

The blasting site in Grunewald has existed since 1950.

Controlled explosions are scheduled there several times a year, including unexploded ordnance from World War II found during construction work or in Berlin waters, as well as illegal fireworks.

The Avus is then always closed for a short time, always in spring or autumn.

In summer it is too dangerous: danger of forest fires.

Berlin has been looking for another location for the blast site for a long time, but as the police announced on Twitter, there are no suitable areas that could be "approved".

Dodging to Brandenburg is also difficult.

The blasting site in Grunewald is actually well secured, emphasizes police spokesman Cablitz.

There is a fire protection lane several meters wide, plus fire alarms, and the stored ordnance is kept constantly moist.

A diagram in the Berliner Morgenpost shows the exact layout of the blast site.

With around 3000 hectares, the Grunewald is Berlin's largest local recreation area.

In 1915, the city bought the forest expressly as a leisure area for the ever-growing population.

After the Second World War it was almost bare here, the forest cut down for reparations or for heating.

From 1950 it was reforested.

The explosive site is not the only unusual use of the Grunewald.

Ammunition was disposed of in the Barssee towards the end of the war and was not cleared until the mid-1980s.

During the Wall era, US troops maintained a listening station on Teufelsberg, as well as a shooting range and ammunition depot near Avus.

After the Allies left, the ammunition depot was cleared and the bunkers were covered with sand to create an artificial inland dune.

One of the bunkers was converted into a winter quarters for bats.

The blast site may also be history after the explosions.

Berlin's Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey has already questioned the location: "We have to think about how we will deal with this explosive site in the future and whether such a place is the right place in Berlin," said the SPD politician after a visit to Grunewald .

Berlin's CDU country chief Kai Wegner also called for consequences.

"Such a blasting site does not belong in a local recreation area," said Wegner in the rbb "Abendschau" on Thursday.

He called for negotiations with the state of Brandenburg in order to come to a joint solution.

mgo

Source: spiegel

All life articles on 2022-08-04

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