On Friday evening around 9:30 p.m., a fuse box caught fire in the center of Gonsenheim. The resident reacted promptly and immediately called 911 when he noticed the short circuit and the smoke beginning to develop. The landlord also reacted immediately and turned off the building’s main circuit breaker.

Thanks to this quick action, a fire department breathing apparatus team was able to extinguish the fire rapidly. Parts of the wall had to be opened to expose hidden pockets of embers. This prevented the fire from spreading to other areas of the apartment. After the apartment was ventilated by the fire department, it is temporarily without power but remains habitable.

The operation involved 19 personnel from the professional fire department and the Gonsenheim Volunteer Fire Department, along with five vehicles. The operation was completed after about an hour. The cause was apparently a technical defect in the fuse box.

Access to the scene was problematic: the narrow streets in the old town center are challenging. In addition, several vehicles were parked illegally. This delayed the operation. The turntable ladder could not even reach the scene. The fire engine was only able to leave the street after several attempts, having maneuvered its way close enough to the scene. The drivers whose vehicles were obstructing the operation were identified by traffic enforcement and asked to move their vehicles. They showed little understanding of the situation.

Clear traffic regulations apply, especially in tight areas such as curves and intersections. Stopping at narrow and blind spots on the road is prohibited. Additionally, parking is prohibited five meters before and after intersections and junctions. These regulations are not mere formalities. They ensure the turning radius that emergency vehicles need to save lives and extinguish fires in a timely manner.

Fire trucks are large and heavy. Backing up or maneuvering costs valuable minutes. Every delay can determine whether a fire spreads or a person can be rescued. Fire trucks also require significantly more space than a passenger car. If they cannot reach the scene, emergency responders lack the tools they need to save lives.

We know that the parking situation in many inner-city areas is stressful and often difficult. Nevertheless, the fact remains: if vehicles are parked in tight curves or at intersections, this can endanger lives in an emergency. The regulations must therefore be strictly observed. They protect not only others but also those who live there themselves.

The incident in Gonsenheim demonstrates how crucial it is for everyone involved to act appropriately. The resident’s quick emergency call prevented a worse outcome. The illegally parked drivers, on the other hand, unnecessarily hindered the fire department’s work and endangered everyone’s safety.

The Mainz Fire Department urges all road users to park their vehicles in such a way that there is always sufficient space for emergency vehicles. Anyone who parks in narrow urban areas bears the responsibility for ensuring that help arrives when it is needed—perhaps even for themselves.

Late Sunday afternoon, the Mainz Fire Department was called to the main train station. At a bus stop on the station forecourt, a toddler had slipped two fingers through the slats of a bench seat and was unable to pull them out on their own. Federal Police officers provided first aid. In consultation with the emergency medical services, who had also been alerted, the stainless steel of the seat was cut through piece by piece while maintaining a safe distance around the child’s hand and taking further safety precautions, allowing the child to stand up again. The child was then transported by the emergency medical services to the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University, where the remainder of the seat was finally removed. While the fire department was carrying out these measures, the very brave child was comforted by his father. Since a large number of onlookers gathered around the bus stop during the operation, a privacy screen was set up to protect the child’s privacy as much as possible. Eleven members of the Mainz Professional Fire Department, an ambulance, two officers from the Federal Police, and the traffic supervisor from the Mainz Transportation Authority were on the scene.

The Mainz Fire Department was alerted to an oil slick in the industrial harbor area on Saturday afternoon at approximately 1:05 p.m. After an on-site assessment, it was confirmed that the water surface was contaminated by an oily substance.

In consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency of the state capital of Mainz, the fire department immediately initiated containment measures. Absorbent oil booms were deployed on the water’s surface to contain the oil slick, prevent further spread, and protect the waterway.

A total of nine firefighters from the Mainz Fire Department, along with three vehicles and a multi-purpose boat, were involved in the operation. The fire department was supported by colleagues from the Water Police.

The fire department’s operation was concluded after approximately three hours. The relevant authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the contamination.

At 12:53 p.m. today, the Mainz Fire Department was called to respond to a fire alarm at an office complex on Isaac-Fulda-Allee. Upon arrival, thick smoke was billowing from the smoke exhaust vents of the underground parking garage, prompting the incident commander to immediately upgrade the alarm code from "B2 Fire Alarm" to "B3 Building Fire." Initial firefighting operations were immediately initiated by two crews wearing self-contained breathing apparatus. One vehicle was already fully engulfed in flames when the fire department arrived; two other parked cars were severely damaged by the fire and partially caught fire. The fire was quickly brought under control and completely extinguished. The fire caused significant smoke development, which spread both in the underground parking garage and into adjacent areas of an office building above it. No one was injured in the incident. After extensive ventilation efforts using two high-powered industrial fans, the underground garage and the affected office building were cleared of smoke. The cars damaged by the fire were removed from the underground garage by a towing company. A total of approximately 30 firefighters from the Mainz Fire Department were on the scene with 10 vehicles; the full-time firefighters were supported by the Gonsenheim Volunteer Fire Department. In addition, one ambulance each from the ASB and the JUH, as well as the police with one vehicle, were on the scene. Staffing of the unmanned fire stations was ensured by on-duty emergency personnel and by the City and Mombach Volunteer Fire Departments. Thanks to the fire department’s early notification by the fire alarm system, as well as the exemplary evacuation of the building by the employees, there were no injuries, and property damage was limited to the extent observed. The cause of the fire is unclear; the police have launched an investigation. No statement can currently be made regarding the extent of the damage.

A residential fire broke out on Gaustraße around 8:30 p.m. The resident of an apartment contacted the Mainz Integrated Control Center and reported that a fire had broken out in one of the rooms of his apartment. He also reported that he had already attempted to extinguish the fire. Fire Stations 1 and 2, as well as the Mainz-Stadt Volunteer Fire Department, were then alerted.

When the first responders arrived, the stairwell was slightly smoky, and several residents had already left the building. A team wearing breathing apparatus entered the heavily smoke-filled apartment and began extinguishing the fire. At the same time, a missing cat was brought to safety. Thanks to the owner’s quick and courageous initial attempts to put out the fire, the spread of the blaze was largely prevented.

The resident received medical treatment on site and was subsequently taken to a hospital in Mainz with suspected smoke inhalation.

A total of 16 personnel from the Mainz Fire Department, as well as emergency medical services and the police, were on the scene.

Important Note: While it is understandable to want to act quickly in the event of a fire, it is important not to put yourself in unnecessary danger. Attempts to extinguish the fire can be helpful, but should always be undertaken with caution and only if it is possible to do so without putting yourself at risk. Safety always comes first—in the event of heavy smoke or large flames, the building should be evacuated immediately and emergency services should be called.

In the early hours of December 24, 2025, at around 3:45 a.m., several residents of an apartment building on Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring reported a vehicle fire. When the police arrived, a car was already fully engulfed in flames.

When the fire department arrived just a few minutes later, the fire had already spread to a second vehicle. During the operation, firefighting efforts were hampered by the intense heat and the destroyed vehicles. As the fire raged, tires burst, causing explosive noises. Firefighting foam was used to effectively combat the blaze, preventing it from spreading further.

The fire caused property damage to both vehicles as well as to the adjacent building, particularly to the roller shutters, facade, and window panes. The adjacent buildings were also inspected to ensure that the residents were not endangered by smoke from the fire.

No information regarding the extent of the damage can be provided at this time. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the police.

A total of 16 personnel from the Mainz Professional Fire Department, the emergency medical services, and the police were on the scene.

On Christmas Eve at 8:23 p.m., the Mainz Fire Department was called to a burning Christmas tree on Am Steinbruch street in the Weisenau district of Mainz.

Upon arrival, the firefighters discovered that the fire was on the ground floor of an end-of-row house. A Christmas tree had caught fire; the flames had spread to nearly the entire ground floor. A resident had initially tried to extinguish the burning tree himself but had to abandon this attempt due to the rapid spread of the fire. By the time the fire department arrived, smoke had already spread to the upper floors.

A crew wearing heavy-duty breathing apparatus and equipped with a C-hose was deployed to fight the fire. Another crew inspected the upper floors. In the affected room, the ceiling had to be opened using demolition hooks and inspected to prevent the fire from spreading further. The building was then mechanically ventilated using a high-pressure fan.

An employee of Mainzer Mobilität (Electricity Department) cut off the power to the building. The adjacent neighboring house was inspected; no findings were made.

A total of five people and one cat were affected. The residents were able to leave the house on their own and unharmed. As a precaution, a relative took the cat to a veterinary clinic because it appeared to be in distress.

Due to fire and smoke damage, the residence is currently uninhabitable. Those affected were able to stay with relatives.

The fire was reported extinguished after about 20 minutes. The entire operation lasted approximately 1.5 hours.

The operation involved 24 firefighters from the Mainz Fire Department, four emergency medical service personnel, two police officers, and an employee of Mainzer Mobilität.

Clear information, rapid alerts, and direct insights: The Mainz Fire Department is further expanding its communication with the public and will launch its own social media channels on January 1, 2026. Going forward, the Fire Department will provide direct updates on current operations, hazardous situations, prevention efforts, and the day-to-day work of both the professional and volunteer fire departments.

Official accounts on Facebook and Instagram will be operated under the username @feuerwehr.mainz. In addition, a WhatsApp channel will be set up for crisis communication. This channel is designed to quickly and easily disseminate important information and warnings.

With these new channels, information and warnings can be disseminated even faster and more directly in the future. They complement existing warning systems such as sirens and warning apps and enable low-threshold, continuous information for the public. Communication will be handled directly by the Mainz Fire Department itself.

Mayor Nino Haase emphasizes the importance of these additional communication channels: "The fire department’s social media channels are a milestone in providing rapid information to the public. After the city of Mainz was already recognized for its communication during the last bomb disposal in 2024, we are now systematically expanding our crisis communication. Together with all other media outlets, we ensure reliable, trustworthy, and understandable information for all citizens around the clock."

The establishment of these channels is the result of close coordination between the mayor, the fire department, and the Press and Communications Department of the state capital of Mainz. The goal is modern, reliable, and direct communication, particularly during operations and crisis situations, even outside of traditional office hours.

Stefan Behrendt, the Fire and Disaster Protection Inspector for the City of Mainz, also sees this as an important step forward: "Social media is a central communication channel today. For us, this means greater proximity to the public, better education about risks and dangers, and the ability to provide information quickly, directly, and clearly in the event of an emergency, in addition to sirens and warning apps."

Note for editorial offices:

A short vertical-format video was produced to mark the launch of the social media channels. In the reel, Mayor Nino Haase and Fire and Disaster Protection Inspector Stefan Behrendt announce the launch of the channels in a self-deprecating, typically Mainz-style manner. The video is suitable for editorial use in online and social media and is available upon request.

On Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at approximately 6:20 p.m., the Mainz Fire Department was called to a traffic accident involving a passenger car and a public bus on Hattenbergstraße, near Bismarckplatz. At the time of the initial report, the exact circumstances of the accident and the number of people involved were unclear, prompting the Mainz control center to immediately dispatch an increased number of firefighters and emergency medical personnel.

Upon arrival at the scene, the first emergency medical service personnel were already on site and were attending to the passengers on the bus. A total of approximately 40 people were involved in the accident. Of these, four people, including the driver of the car, were treated by emergency medical services for minor injuries. All individuals were able to leave the scene on their own; no one had to be transported to a hospital. The Mainz Public Transportation Authority was contacted to provide a replacement bus, allowing those affected to continue their original journey.

All follow-up measures, as well as the investigation into the cause of the accident, were subsequently carried out by the police and colleagues from the Mainz Transport Authority.

The Mainz Fire Department was on the scene with a total of 25 personnel from the professional and volunteer fire departments. The fire department’s efforts were supported by police officers and the emergency management team from Mainzer Mobilität. The operation was concluded after approximately 35 minutes.

Senior Fire Chief Stefan Behrendt is the new head of the Mainz Fire Department. Mayor Nino Haase made the announcement during the Mainz Fire Department’s traditional New Year’s Eve swim. Behrendt assumes the role of head of the fire department for the state capital of Mainz effective today, December 31, 2025.

Stefan Behrendt has already proven himself as head of the Operations Control Division of the Mainz Fire Department. Together with Holger Hagen (head of the Preventive Fire Protection Division) and Mark Jüliger (head of the Technical Division), he has served as acting chief since May 21, 2024. In addition, Behrendt also serves as Fire and Disaster Protection Inspector for the City of Mainz under the State Law on Fire Protection, General Assistance, and Disaster Protection.

"Fire and disaster protection are of particular importance in these times. This requires a stable professional fire department with a leadership team that plans for the long term and cooperates with aid organizations. Stefan Behrendt is a highly experienced and dedicated firefighter who has already proven himself as acting head of the Mainz Fire Department, working alongside Holger Hagen and Mark Jüliger,” emphasizes Mayor Haase. "During this time, the leadership team has taken on responsibility, initiated important reforms, and contributed significantly to a positive work environment. I am very grateful to the three of them for this, and it has played a major role in this personnel decision."

The upcoming tasks for the head of the Mainz Fire Department include integrating the new Civil Protection Division, developing and implementing the resource planning, and establishing the Integrated Control Center at the Weisenau site. Another milestone is the launch of the new vocational training program for professional firefighters, which Mainz will be the first municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate to introduce in 2026.

Behrendt, 50, holds a degree in safety engineering and lives with his wife in Nierstein. He has been employed by the Mainz Fire Department since September 2020. Previously, he served as head of the training and continuing education department as well as the emergency medical services at the Fraport AG plant fire department in Frankfurt am Main.

This New Year’s Eve morning marked the 52nd edition of the Mainz Fire Department’s traditional New Year’s Day swim. While around 300 onlookers watched the spectacle from the banks of the Rhine in near-freezing temperatures, 180 swimmers took the plunge into the 4°C waters of the Rhine.

Mayor Nino Haase gave the starting signal for the brave swimmers at 10:15 a.m. before joining the participants himself as a swimmer. They bid farewell to the year, some in creative costumes or with swimming gear, as they swam together along the banks of the Rhine. The experienced and professionally equipped swimmers were supported by several rescue boats—because without training, equipment, and safety measures, swimming in the Rhine is life-threatening! The participants started from the steps at the Kaisertor. They then swam about half a kilometer in the Rhine to the Feldbergtor (Feldbergplatz).

The "Abschwimmen" event highlights, on the one hand, the fire department’s special mission—water rescue. On the other hand, it served to maintain and foster connections with other organizations active in water rescue. In addition to the conversations and the fun of “collective water treading,” supporting a good cause was the main focus. As usual, the proceeds from this year’s accompanying fundraising campaign will be donated to a good cause.

This year’s donation goes to the association Trauernde Eltern & Kinder Rhein-Main e.V. Founded in 1985 as a small support group for grieving parents, the association now provides a wide range of support to parents, siblings, and children following the loss of a loved one. Trauernde Eltern & Kinder Rhein-Main e.V. offers not only professional support from grief counselors but also a space for those affected to connect with one another.

"I am delighted that we were able to attract so many people to the Rhine on New Year’s Eve. Many thanks to the Mainz Fire Department for the great organization and to all donors for your valuable contribution," said Mayor Nino Haase. "The fundraising campaign for the New Year’s Eve swim is an important gesture of support for people suffering from the loss of a loved one."

The diverse group of participants included the fire departments of Aschaffenburg, Kaiserslautern, Ludwigshafen, Maintal, Main-Taunus-Kreis, Mainz, Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Offenbach, and Wiesbaden, the riot police, the water police, the German Armed Forces, the State Fire and Disaster Protection Academy, various local chapters of the DLRG and the THW, private diving clubs, and staff from the political and administrative sectors of the City of Mainz. Additionally, other familiar faces from politics and society were present on the banks of the Rhine.

Following the reception hosted by Mayor Nino Haase and Mr. Stefan Behrendt, Fire and Disaster Protection Inspector for the City of Mainz, in the Rheingoldhalle, the event concluded with a cozy get-together in a convivial atmosphere.

The Mainz Fire Department wishes all citizens a safe start to the new year and all the best for 2026.