Nightmare Christmas in Hockweiler, 20 km from the German-Luxembourg border. A violent explosion rang out shortly after 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve. five people were injured, one seriously.
Christmas evening turned into a nightmare for a family from Hockweiler, a small town in the district of Trier-Sarreburg in Rhineland-Palatinate, located barely twenty kilometers from Wasserbillig.
It was after 9 p.m. when a huge explosion shook the small town: A house was completely destroyed and debris flew meters into the air. Five people were injured, one seriously.
More than 120 firefighters, rescue workers, THW (Teschnischen Hilfswerk) specialists and law enforcement officers were quickly dispatched to the scene.
Shortly after the explosion, the building, engulfed in flames, burned to the ground. But it proved difficult to put out the fire because several explosions following the first continued to create a danger. Due to the risk of collapse, it was impossible to enter the house. So the fire could only be fought from the outside and using a large ladder.
Rubble Rain
Window frames, shutters, clothes and even roof beams were scattered on the roadway when help arrived. Pieces of the roof of the house were thrown onto the opposite side of the street and damaged several vehicles. A local resident described the scene as that of “bomb explosion“.
The death toll from the disaster was five injured, including one seriously injured during the night, but the number of victims could be revised upwards since searches were still underway during the night in the rubble.
The cause of the explosion remains unknown at this time. The judicial police began their investigation overnight. The mayor, Michael Holstein, was also present at the accident scene and spoke of a “tragic event for the entire community“.
