Overview

• Police reported smoke rose from the pickup’s engine shortly before 8 a.m., and the driver reached the hard shoulder before the vehicle ignited.
• Smoke accumulated beneath the boats and triggered a flashover that set the trailer fully ablaze, according to the scene account.
• About 30 volunteer firefighters from Verden and Walle extinguished the fire and sealed their contaminated gear on site for specialized cleaning.
• The A27 was closed for several hours between the Verden-Ost and Walsrode-West junctions, with firefighting and cleanup continuing into the afternoon.
• No injuries were reported and crews prevented spread toward the nearby forest, while the exact cause remains under investigation.