Gladbeck gas grill explosion leaves man severely burned

On Saturday afternoon, July 4, at about 17:32, a gas grill in a commercial building on Schanzenhof Street in Gladbeck, North Rhine‑Westphalia, Germany, detonated, igniting the façade that was clad in an insulated thermal system. Employees quickly used fire extinguishers and a garden hose to suppress the flames before the fire brigade arrived.

Approximately 20 firefighters from the Gladbeck professional and volunteer stations responded. After the fire was largely extinguished, they performed after‑fire checks with a thermal‑imaging camera. One victim suffered serious burns to the face and hands; because ground transport was insufficient, a rescue helicopter landed on the nearby Dorstener Street, which was temporarily closed, and air‑lifted the patient to a specialist clinic. The operation was concluded after roughly two hours.