Millions in damages as fire destroys barns; cows perish, firefighters injured by explosions

A devastating fire ripped through two neighboring barns in Ottershofen, southern Baden-Württemberg, on Wednesday evening, resulting in millions of euros in damages and injuring several firefighters. The blaze, which caused a complete power outage in the village, led to the precautionary evacuation of residents who were then cared for by emergency services.

Numerous cows died in one of the burning barns, according to police reports. Firefighters battled the inferno, which spread quickly, with over 200 personnel from surrounding communities responding. They managed to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby residential buildings. However, several firefighters sustained hearing injuries, described as blast trauma, due to explosions originating from within the burning structures. Firefighting vehicles were also damaged.

Investigators are exploring the possibility that sparks from the first barn ignited the second, which was reported about 45 minutes after the initial alarm. The presence of two cars inside one of the barns is being considered as a potential source for the explosions. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, but the rapid spread suggests factors like strong winds and dry conditions may have contributed. Farmers assisted the firefighting efforts by bringing water to the scene with slurry tankers.