Hanover fire department rescues seriously injured person from blazing inferno!

Hanover fire department rescues seriously injured person from blazing inferno!

There was a dramatic apartment fire in the Hainholz district of Hanover on December 4, 2025. At around 3:25 p.m., several emergency calls alerted the fire and rescue services when heavy smoke and beeping smoke alarms were reported from an apartment on the fourth floor of an apartment building. The fire department reacted immediately and triggered a major alarm for two fire engines from the professional fire department and the Vinnhorst volunteer fire department. On site, the emergency services discovered that the fire had already spread to the entire apartment, making the situation critical.

Already during the first minutes of assessing the situation, it was unclear whether there were still people in the fire apartment. As a result, the firefighters carried out a meticulous search for people in the affected apartment. Several respiratory protection teams were equipped with thermal imaging cameras and systematically searched for possible victims. These measures bore fruit when a seriously injured person was discovered and immediately rescued. After initial treatment, the injured person was handed over to the emergency services for further treatment.

Fire department operations and techniques

The fire was fought through an internal attack using extinguishing water, while at the same time support was provided from the outside using a turntable ladder. Special devices for high-performance ventilation were used to remove smoke from the smoke-filled rooms and the stairwell as quickly as possible. The emergency services managed to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring apartments and buildings, which is of utmost importance in such situations.

A total of 45 emergency services with 14 vehicles were on site to rescue the critical situation. After about an hour, the fire department's measures were largely completed and the site was handed over to the Hanover police to carry out a forensic investigation. The amount of damage is estimated at around 150,000 euros; The exact cause of the fire is currently unknown.

Fire brigade in Germany: A look at the statistics

In Germany, the fire brigade plays a central role in saving lives and protecting property. The main tasks include rescue, firefighting, recovery and protection. According to information from Statista At the end of 2022, there were around 48,100 fire departments in Germany, which are organized in different forms. Particularly noteworthy are the volunteer fire brigades, which make up the largest proportion and have over a million members.

In 2022, the fire brigade in Germany responded to around 229,000 fires and explosions. Despite the challenges associated with these operations - there were 333 deaths from smoke, fire and flames in the same year - the fire department's operational focus has shifted to rescue operations, with approximately 2.8 million calls to rescue people due to emergencies or illness. This current incident in Hanover shows once again how important quick and coordinated responses from the fire department are.