H 084 - 2025

Report

During the night from Friday to Saturday, the fire department was alerted to an unidentified chemical odor in the cold storage facility of a restaurant in Winnweiler. The firefighters then responded to the scene with several vehicles. Once on site, the odor was clearly detectable, so a team wearing breathing apparatus and equipped with a detection device entered the building. Shortly after the fire department arrived, additional restaurant owners and residents of the affected street contacted authorities to report that they had also noticed the odor.

During the investigation, it became clear upon opening the manhole covers that the odor was coming from the sewer system. Consequently, measurements were taken at various points along the affected stretch of road by the measurement vehicle (GW-Mess), which is part of the Donnersberg District’s hazardous materials response unit, as well as by personnel from the Winnweiler Fire Department. These measurements revealed elevated concentrations of methane; however, these concentrations were within a range that posed neither a health hazard nor an explosion risk. An employee of the sewer utility, who was called in by the fire department, determined that the unknown substance had already reached the wastewater treatment plant, where it was visible as a film on the water’s surface.

Firefighters protected the wastewater treatment plant by deploying so-called oil booms, which prevented the contaminant from entering the plant any further. Furthermore, the public was informed about the situation via the federal government’s Modular Warning System (MoWaS)—which, among other things, triggers various warning apps such as KATWARN or NINA—and was advised that there was no danger and that ventilation measures could be taken if the odor was detected. Finally, in consultation with the sewer utility, the sewer system was flushed using the TLF 4000, after which the odor dissipated over time.

Also on the scene were the police, the standby ambulance from the Münchweiler branch of the German Red Cross (DRK), and Pfalzwerke.

You can find more detailed information about alert apps here: Alert Apps – What's Available and Why They're Important.

The Winnweiler Fire Department would like to point out that disposing of hazardous substances of any kind into the sewer system constitutes a serious criminal offense. If toxic substances enter the wastewater treatment plant, its operation can be significantly impaired, as the microorganisms necessary for purifying the water are killed. Furthermore, due to a lack of fresh air, critical concentrations can be reached in the sewer system, posing an explosion hazard and thus a significant danger to the public. The police have launched an investigation into this matter.