Fire brigade on a large scale: mysterious smell triggers alarm in Wenden!

Fire brigade on a large scale: mysterious smell triggers alarm in Wenden!

On Friday afternoon, February 7, 2025, the fire department in the municipality of Wenden was alerted to a dramatic large-scale operation in Hünsborn. Originally looking for the cause of a noticeably strong, acrid smell on Josefstrasse, the police officers on site came across an unclear liquid. Due to the potential danger of the situation, not only the local fire department, but also the ABC train Bigge from the Olpe district were called in. This is reported by, among others, Firefighting World and the Bild newspaper.

A fire brigade team, equipped with respiratory protection and special protective suits, was able to discover several containers with a previously unknown substance in a residential building. The living area was also contaminated. Further investigation revealed that it was butyric acid. This substance, known for its unpleasant and pungent smell, affected the entire area. In order to avert the danger, the fire department carried out extensive ventilation measures and decided to distribute warning messages via common warning apps (NINA, KatWarn) and social media channels.

The emergency services secured the containers they found and commissioned a specialist company to dispose of them. The operation was successfully completed after around two hours, with a total of around 55 emergency services and 15 vehicles taking part. This event demonstrated how quickly and effectively the fire department responds to dangerous situations to ensure the safety of the public.