Overview
- A fire that began on the second floor and spread to the third floor and roof left the derelict Malzfabrik Wismaria structurally unsafe and prompted a large emergency response.
- About 150 firefighters from multiple brigades battled the blaze for hours and extinguished it during the night with no reported injuries.
- City crews removed the unstable roof section in a controlled demolition to remove immediate collapse danger and to allow the reopening of the nearby road and rail line.
- Police and the public prosecutor opened an investigation on suspicion of arson, have ordered a fire‑cause expert, and are asking witnesses to come forward with observations or photos.
- The ruin is a 130‑year‑old, monument‑protected former VEB Wismaria beverage factory that has been unused for decades and its heritage status will complicate longer‑term decisions about repair, removal, or preservation.