Drama at the Zollhafen: Motorboat opens in flames - ship leader saved!

Drama at the Zollhafen: Motorboat opens in flames - ship leader saved!

On July 4, 2025, a serious incident in Hard occurred at 5:19 p.m. when a motor boat exploded while driving in the engine compartment. The 29-year-old skipper and owner of the boat was able to get to safety in good time, but the flames spread quickly in the rear area of the vehicle, which led to an uncontrolled drift of the boat to the middle of the harbor basin. In this critical situation, the Hard fire brigade immediately moved out with an extensive commitment.

The Hard fire brigade was on site with 30 emergency services, 4 vehicles and a boat. The extinguishing work was carried out quickly so that the fire could be quickly brought under control. They received support from the Bregenz fire brigade, which came with 5 emergency services and a boat, as well as the water rescue that used 20 emergency services and 2 vehicles. The police were also on site with 2 emergency services and a vehicle to evaluate the situation.

cause of the fire and follow

First investigations indicate that the explosion in the engine compartment of the boat was responsible for the fire. Small quantities of mineral oil -containing fabrics came into Lake Constance, but the responsible bodies, including the Hard fire brigade, were not found for the water. After deleting the fire, the wreck of the boat was outgraded at the instructions of the fire brigade in the Zollhafen.

The Federal Office for Sea accident examination (BSU) will observe the incident closely, since it is responsible for the examination of sea accidents that affect ships under German flag. The BSU is committed to determining circumstances and causes of such accidents, with the aim of protecting life and avoiding future incidents. It acts independently of the flag states and thus pursues a clear security agenda in the maritime area.

comparison with previous incidents

Last year, more precisely on July 12, 2024, a similar incident already occurred in the Hard Zollhafen. A lightning strike in a sailboat had led to a fire that had to be extinguished by the Hard fire brigade under breathing protection. This assignment was also supported by the water police. These incidents illustrate the need for preventive safety infrastructure on the water, which also underlines the activities of the BSU.

The fast reaction of the fire brigade and water rescue has certainly contributed to preventing worse in this latest incident. In view of the repeated fire disasters and the associated dangers, it is important that both boat operators and the water rescue services are well prepared and cooperate in order to avoid future accidents.

The exact causes of the latest fire are still being examined to ensure that similar incidents can be better avoided in the future. The authority remains in close contact with the responsible institutions.

Further information on the incident and the emergency services can be found on the websites of Vol.at , fire brigade hard and bsu .