Overview

• In Ascheberg-Herbern, a Saturday night barn blaze left the structure a near-total loss, including a rooftop photovoltaic system, and destroyed an Unimog, while about 300 pigs were rehoused.
• Firefighters established a protective line to an adjacent home, closed the L671 for hours, and maintained water supply via tanker shuttles with support from neighboring brigades.
• In Barkelsby, burning straw bales driven by strong wind ignited a stall before crews and the farmer drove roughly 100 calves to safety.
• Several responders at the Barkelsby scene suffered minor smoke inhalation and lengthy overhaul was required as compressed bales were pulled apart.
• Police and criminal investigators have opened cases into both incidents, with causes and damage totals not yet released, and residents near Barkelsby received app alerts to keep windows and doors closed due to drifting smoke.