Overview

• Late on Friday evening a fire alarm prompted evacuation of the restaurant at Neuschwanstein Castle when flames erupted in a locked cupboard.
• Crews from the Schwangau fire department and Füssener police doused the fire within about 50 minutes and concluded operations in roughly one hour.
• Officials confirmed there were no injuries and described damage to the cupboard and its contents as minimal.
• Preliminary investigations indicate that cleaning cloths stored with chemical agents may have spontaneously combusted and authorities are continuing their inquiry.
• The incident underscores ongoing challenges for emergency services tasked with protecting Germany’s heritage sites during a period of heightened fire activity.