GERMANY: Scores of firemen battle blaze at Berlin Philharmonic building

Record ID: 699570

  • Title: GERMANY: Scores of firemen battle blaze at Berlin Philharmonic building
  • Date: 21st May 2008
  • Summary: (EU) BERLIN, GERMANY (MAY 20, 2008) (REUTERS) TOP SHOT OF SMOKE BILLOWING FROM BERLIN'S PHILHARMONIC TOP SHOT OF FIREFIGHTERS ON ROOFTOP TOP SHOT OF POLICE CARS, FIRE ENGINES AND AMBULANCES AT SCENE SMOKE BILLOWING FROM ROOFTOP FIREMEN ON VERY LONG LADDER HOSING DOWN ROOFTOP TOP SHOT OF PHILHARMONIC AND ADJACENT BUILDINGS ONLOOKER BEHIND POLICE LINE (SOUNDBITE) (German) JENS-PETER WILKE, BERLIN FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAYING: "We are in the process of cooling the rooftop with water which is difficult enough at heights like these: our ladders are only 30 metres long but now we are using our very long ladder which is 50 metres long." FIREMEN ON ROOFTOP CUTTING OPEN ROOF WITH AXE FIREMEN ON LONG LADDER SMOKE BILLOWING FROM ROOF FIREMAN WITH CUT-OFF WHEEL OPENING ROOFTOP MAN HANDING BASS CLARINET TO PHILHARMONIC MUSICIAN (SOUNDBITE) (German) JENS-PETER WILKE, BERLIN FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAYING: "At the same time, we are taking the very expensive instruments to safety together with members of the orchestra in order to save them from water damage." MUSICIAN HUGGING MAN WHO HANDED HIM HIS INSTRUMENT FIREMAN ON CHERRY PICKER (SOUNDBITE) (German) (UNIDENTIFIED) PHILHARMONIC BASS CLARINET PLAYER SAYING: "I heard about it on the news and immediately rushed here, thinking I have to take my instrument to safety. I had been looking for such a good one for twenty years." WATER EMERGING FROM SIDE OF BUILDING SMOKE BILLOWING FROM ROOF TOP SHOT OF SMOKE BILLOWING FROM ROOFTOP
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA9U4UG60IVFUNX1QZRIXMF723W
  • Story Text: Scores of firefighters battled a blaze at the home of the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra that broke out during a public performance on Tuesday (May 20).
    Around 170 firefighters and over 30 vehicles were at the scene trying to extinguish the fire, which broke out during rehearsals open to the public, a fire brigade spokesman said.
    Musicians and visitors to the yellow Philharmonic building near the city centre had escaped and were no longer in danger, he said, saying there had been no reports of any injuries.

    "We are in the process of cooling the rooftop with water which is difficult enough at heights like these: our ladders are only 30 metres long but now we are using our very long ladder which is 50 metres long,"
    Berlin fire department spokesman Jens-Peter Wilke told reporters.
    The orchestra, which was founded over 120 years ago, has long been regarded as one of the world's most prestigious.
    Britain's Simon Rattle is currently the principal conductor.
    A pall of smoke was billowing from the roof of the building, a controversial design by Hans Scharoun that was completed in 1963. It is widely regarded as having some of the best acoustics of any concert hall.
    The area surrounding the building has been cordoned off.
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