Major fire in Dresden State Operetta: Fire brigade on a large scale!

Major fire in Dresden State Operetta: Fire brigade on a large scale!

A major fire kept the former Dresden State Operetta in suspense on Saturday night. The empty building, which has a tradition of over 240 years as a musical folk theater, was already “full of flames” when the rescue workers arrived, as fire department spokesman Michael Klahre reported. After the alarm on Friday evening, the fire brigade was called in to fight the flames and specifically extinguish embers in the roof structure and in the rear part of the building. Around 150 emergency services were mobilized, supported by the Technical Relief Agency, to master the situation and prevent the fire from spreading, reports FAZ.

The visibility of the smoke clouds from the former theater was enough to alert residents within a 1,000 meter radius. They were asked to keep windows and doors closed and to switch off ventilation systems. Fortunately, there were no people in the building, so the fire department did not have to expect any further danger. However, one firefighter was lucky and was examined in an ambulance due to circulatory problems, but remained well.

Building inaccessible due to risk of collapse

The consequences of the fire are serious. Both the main building and the former auditorium are considered inaccessible as there is a risk of collapse. Police investigators have not yet been able to provide any information about the cause of the fire or the amount of property damage. This raises questions that concern not only those responsible, but also the population.

The state operetta had had its home in a former inn in Leuben since October 1947, but was threatened with closure in 2002 - a measure that was averted with loud protests from citizens. Since then, the ensemble has been playing in an old power plant in the city center, which has served as a new stage since December 2016.

Reminds you of past missions

The fire in the state operetta is reminiscent of the incident on March 12, 2023, when the fire department and rescue service also responded to a fire in a container with heavy smoke. 22 emergency services were deployed here at the same time. Such incidents show how important the fire department's constant preparedness and professionalism is. There have been a large number of such fire incidents in Germany, although the causes often remain obscure, as the statistics show Fire defiance clarify.

The city's memory is shaped by these events. In this way, we not only remember the buildings that survived the flames, but also the emergency services who do their best every time to prevent something worse from happening. While the population now waits for news about the cause of the fire, it remains to be hoped that the spirit of the state operetta, which has grown over centuries, will not be lost.