Police tweeted that fire, rescue service and police forces were in action. “Please follow the instructions of the emergency services on site,” they appealed.
A fire broke out at Europa-Park in Rust, Germany’s largest amusement park, on Monday night. The exact extent is not yet clear, a police spokeswoman said. The column of smoke can be seen from afar. Two firefighters were slightly injured while putting out the fire. According to an eyewitness, the attraction “Magic World of Diamonds” was affected – where the Alpenexpress and the wild watercourse run, he said.
The park informed the short message service Twitter that an incident had occurred. “We work closely with the responsible authorities and emergency services.” Police tweeted that firefighters, rescue service and police forces had been mobilized. “Please follow the instructions of the emergency services on site,” they appealed.
eviction went well
According to eyewitnesses, the park was cleaned quickly, calmly and without panic. Moritz Panter told dpa that officials sent people to the exit in a targeted manner. “In my opinion, they reacted very well.” It was noticed that most were nervous, but they had everything under control. In particular, the affected area was isolated very quickly.
It looked like the park would close regularly – just that more people were leaving at the same time, reported eyewitness Panter. In her estimation, there were as many visitors to the place as there were on a normal summer day. He experienced Germany’s biggest amusement park full, but also empty.
Last big fire only in May
“Some people got scared,” said her partner Nadine Leuthner. In view of the throngs of visitors, however, these were isolated cases. For example, Leuthner reported on two women with children who wanted to leave the park quickly.
Some visitors took pictures after the fire started, Panter said. “It really was thick, blatant black smoke.” He didn’t see any flames, but he was also a little further away from the actual location of the fire.
Europa-Park is Germany’s largest amusement park. Last year, more than six million people visited the facilities with roller coasters and other attractions in the Ortenau district, close to the Franco-German border – a record.
There had already been a major fire there on May 26, 2018: most of the themed areas in Scandinavia and the Netherlands fell victim to the flames. Restaurants, shops and the “Pirates in Batavia” tour were destroyed. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the fire was caused by a technical defect and caused millionaire losses.
Seven police officers and firefighters were slightly injured. About 500 women and men were involved in the operation. There were around 25,000 visitors to the amusement park that day. More than two years later, Pirates in Batavia reopened.