As of: March 18, 2024, 1:00 p.m
By: Jonas Napiletzki
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Press
Split
Large-scale operation: Fire departments were alerted far beyond the district border in March 2023 about the expiring hydrochloric acid truck in Hausham.
© Ralf Poeplau
After the hydrochloric acid accident in Hausham in March 2023, the community still has outstanding claims in the six-figure range.
The insurance company requires an appraisal.
Hausham
- The catastrophe scenario was almost exactly a year ago to the day: the contents of a tanker truck loaded with 22,000 tons of hydrochloric acid dripped onto the street in the immediate vicinity of the Hausham train station on the evening of March 21, 2023.
White, acrid steam came out.
Over 300 emergency services from up to 120 kilometers away moved in to evacuate around 40 residents, transfer the dangerous cargo and limit the spread of the fumes.
The 16-hour operation was carried out smoothly and in a structured manner - there were only two slightly injured people.
But the follow-up work in the form of compensation for damages from the trucking company's insurance company has still not been completed, as the Hausham fire department recently announced.
Claims for costs initially went to the town hall
This is confirmed by Martin Reisberger, treasurer of the municipality of Hausham.
“It was a huge act,” he remembers.
Because the Hausham fire department played a leading role in the operation and the damage occurred in Hausham, the municipality decided to pass all bills through its own town hall.
In concrete terms, this means: Regardless of whether it was the THW, the Red Cross, the Wacker Chemie factory fire department, the hazardous materials train from Rosenheim or the countless fire departments and other emergency services from the region - all of them first sent their cost claims to the town hall.
Kämmerer passed on bills to the insurance company of the person responsible
There Reisberger collected all invoices for worn materials, protective suits, continued wage payments for employers as well as accommodation and food costs for the evacuation.
Overall, the treasurer speaks of a low six-figure amount, which he sent as a total notice to the polluter's insurance company.
Reisberger cannot yet name the exact amount because of the ongoing proceedings.
But: “All the expenses are there.”
The appraiser hasn't been able to get started yet
What happened then was foreseeable given the amount of damage, the treasurer describes: “The insurance company lodged an objection and sent out an expert.” He now has to examine the entire file, invoice by invoice.
Because Reisberger first had to request justifications for the invoices from everyone involved after the objection, the expert was not able to get started yet.
“The objection process is currently ongoing,” summarizes the treasurer.
Costs for Hausham fire departments alone are around 40,000 euros
Reisberger keeps those involved informed about the current status “on an ongoing basis,” as he reports.
The crux of the matter, however, is that the respective communities have long since paid the costs incurred - and have been waiting for reimbursement ever since.
“If something breaks, it has to be replaced – regardless of insurance,” explains Reisberger.
For the fire departments in Hausham and Agatharied, for example, costs amounted to around 40,000 euros, of which 23,000 euros were for lost wages for the emergency services and 17,000 euros for materials, evacuation and other items.
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Protective suits, measuring devices and test strips that could only be used once had to be replaced particularly frequently.
These and other expenses have so far been financed from the current budget - not an easy task.
It is currently unclear when the insurance will pay.
Also read:
Discussion about restrictions on the transport of dangerous goods.