Chaotic weekend in Hesse leaves fire, thefts, and tunnel crash in its wake
A busy weekend in central Hesse saw a series of incidents across the Dill district and surrounding areas. A major fire broke out in Großrechtenbach on Friday evening, while two commercial break-ins were reported in Wetzlar-Niedergirmes. Separately, a collision in the Schlossberg Tunnel left three people with minor injuries earlier that day.
The first incident began on Friday afternoon around 3:45 p.m., when a rear-end collision occurred inside the Schlossberg Tunnel. Three individuals sustained minor injuries, and the crash caused at least €10,000 in vehicle damage.
Later that evening, at approximately 9:10 p.m., firefighters responded to a blaze on Schmalheck Street in Großrechtenbach. Upon arrival, half of the roof structure of a residential and commercial building was already fully ablaze. The property, currently undergoing renovation, suffered an estimated €200,000 in damage. No injuries were reported, and investigators are examining whether the construction work played a role in the fire's origin. In the early hours of Saturday, unknown individuals broke into a mobile phone store on Bahnhofstraße in Wetzlar-Niedergirmes. Several devices were stolen, and the perpetrators caused around €1,000 in property damage. This follows at least three similar thefts in the region over the past year: a lightning burglary at a Giessen phone shop on March 21, 2026, two burglaries in Nieder-Florstadt on February 25-26, and a car break-in in Massenheim on February 26.
Authorities are now investigating the fire's cause in Großrechtenbach and searching for those responsible for the break-ins. The collision in the Schlossberg Tunnel has also prompted a review of traffic safety measures. Meanwhile, local businesses remain on alert following the recent string of thefts.
