Overview
- A small but hazardous expansion-joint fire broke out during roofing work on Monday, Aug. 24, on the flat roof of the WDR ‘Rechtsschule’ annex and produced heavy smoke that was noticed by staff.
- Smoke filled a stairwell and tripped multiple detectors, prompting an orderly evacuation and an immediate halt to the live afternoon program ‘Hier und heute’, which briefly showed a technical-fault screen.
- Firefighters located the hotspot under or next to a transformer room and shut off high-voltage power before applying water, using a thermal camera to pinpoint and safely extinguish the source.
- An external air intake drew smoke into the building, spreading persistent odor that prevented a quick return to the studios; Cologne fire crews ended primary operations around 21:00 and scheduled overnight re-checks.
- WDR continued broadcasts from alternate locations, moving ‘Aktuelle Stunde’ presenters to the nearby WDR-Arkaden, and the incident highlights the extra risk and operational disruption when fires occur near electrical equipment.