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On the move »every five minutes«: fire-fighting helicopters over the Grunewald
Photo: Britta Pedersen / dpa
Federal police helicopters were used in the evening to cool the still hot blast site in Berlin's Grunewald forest with water from the air and to extinguish glowing spots.
The two helicopters requested by the fire brigade were out in the evening from around 5 p.m. “in principle every five minutes” to fetch water from the nearby Havel and drop it over the blasting site, said a spokesman for the fire brigade of the German Press Agency dpa .
A third helicopter accompanied the operation, which was expected to last until nightfall.
The emergency services promised a lot from the action: "We hope for a great effect," said the fire brigade spokesman.
Contrary to an initial assessment, it was found that the forest area south of the blast site was also heavily contaminated by ammunition that had been thrown around by the explosions: "But fighting the fire from the air is now possible."
The federal police helicopters can transport hundreds of liters of water at once with a large container hanging below them.
They were last used in the forest fires in Saxony.
Used in Saxony
According to the fire department spokesman, they came to Berlin from Saxony on Tuesday.
According to the current planning status, they should not be used in Grunewald after their deployment in Berlin on Wednesday because they are needed again in Saxony, the spokesman said.
It is not yet possible to say whether the closed Avus motorway can be reopened on Wednesday.
On the blasting site, where the police stored 30 tons of old grenades, ammunition and confiscated fireworks, there was a violent fire on Thursday night.
Numerous explosions could be heard.
Because of the danger from scattered ammunition and old World War II bombs, the fire brigade has so far only been able to cool the hot spots on the ground and the remaining explosive devices with a fire fighting vehicle and firefighting robots.
Smaller fires were seen again on Tuesday night and smaller explosions were heard.
sak/dpa
