Tödlicher Wohnhaus-Brand in Riegelsberg – 70-jähriger Hausbewohner verbrannt – Polizei ermittelt

In Riegelsberg, Saarland, a tragic discovery was made following a residential house fire. The fire department found a person burned beyond recognition. Authorities suspect the victim is a 70-year-old resident of the house. The fire department was alerted around 1:45 a.m., with a witness reporting hearing an explosion before the incident, although this remains unconfirmed. The sound could potentially have been caused by the fire spreading within the building.

Upon arrival, the two-story house was already engulfed in flames. A firefighter spokesperson reported, „The building was fully ablaze.“ One person managed to escape to safety, while flames were visible on the ground floor and spread to the upper level at the back of the building. In total, around 80 emergency responders were involved in the operation.

To facilitate the fire department’s ladder truck for extinguishing, the power lines of two Saarbahn tracks had to be turned off. Adjacent buildings were also evacuated as a precaution. The deceased body was discovered on the ground floor, with a female relative in need of immediate on-site assistance from emergency counselors. Besides the couple living in the house, no other individuals were registered.

The cause of the devastating fire remains unknown, awaiting examination by a THW structural engineer before the building can be accessed. The Criminal Investigation Department of the Saarland Police took over the investigation into the fire’s origins during the night, working alongside approximately 80 rescue personnel.