Tragic gas leak in Munich: two dead and many injured!

Tragic gas leak in Munich: two dead and many injured!

There have been several operations in Munich in the last few days that have put the alertness of the fire brigade and rescue services to the test. In a tragic incident in an allotment garden in Milbertshofen, two men, aged 41 and 50, suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, which ultimately led to their death. Six other people were also injured, three of whom had to be taken to hospitals. The fire brigade was deployed with several units, supported by water rescue workers from the DLRG from Fasaneriesee.

The emergency services had to rescue people from a building using respiratory protection and provided medical care. Carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas, is produced when carbon-containing materials are incompletely burned, which has led to many fatal incidents in the past. In Germany, an average of 3,500 people have been treated for carbon monoxide poisoning in the last 10 years, with one in six treatments ending in death, as Feuerwehr Magazin reports.

Serious injuries in an electrical accident

On August 10th, another alarming incident occurred at the north marshalling yard in Allach-Untermenzing. A man suffered a severe electric shock when he climbed onto a tank car around 4:12 a.m. and touched the overhead wire with up to 15,000 volts. As a result of the electric shock, the man fell from the wagon and suffered severe burns. The rescue teams had to close the tracks in order to reach the injured person safely. The fire department provided medical care and supported transport to a clinic. The police and the DB emergency manager have started investigating the cause of the accident and the fire department strongly advises against entering the railway tracks.

Traffic accident and carport fire

On the same day, August 10th, there was a traffic accident in Untergiesing in which a 32-year-old driver crashed his BMW into a tree. For unknown reasons, he lost control of his vehicle, which hit a tree, which then overturned. Thanks to the automatic emergency call system “eCall”, the fire department and rescue service were alerted in good time. Passers-by looked after the driver and his one-year-old daughter before the fire department secured the scene of the accident and treated the injured man. Both were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

In Hadern, a carport burned on the same day, triggering another fire brigade operation. The fire broke out around 6 p.m. in a shelter on a terraced corner house. Callers reported flames and flying sparks. The fire brigade was able to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings and had to fight the fire with five jet pipes and a turntable ladder. Two gas bottles were recovered from the carport. The cause of the fire is still unclear and emergency services were on site for approximately two hours.

The large number of missions in just two days makes it clear how important it is to be aware of the dangers in everyday life. Carbon monoxide poisoning should not be underestimated, and the “CO makes K.O.” initiative therefore calls for urgent measures to control and warn against the dangers of this invisible gas. Regular testing and the use of CO detectors could save many people's lives. However, if the events of the last few days have demonstrated one thing, it is the need for constant vigilance and preventive measures.