In an unfortunate turn of events, the jubilant carnival parade in the quaint Baden town of Kehl has been called off due to a severe mishap. A van participating in the parade tragically caught fire, leading to several people getting injured. This incident has raised many questions, the foremost among them being, how could this incident take place?
In the aftermath of the fire accident at the carnival parade in Kehl, a part of the Baden-Württemberg region, which resulted in as many as seven people sustaining injuries, the Mayor of the town, Wolfram Britz, lauded the response and behavior of the parade participants.
► “The group of fools, as the participants are referred to, responded to the crisis with an extraordinary level of prudence. This, in turn, possibly prevented the situation from escalating to a more disastrous level,” said the independent local politician. As per the police reports available, the fire that broke out in the carnival car on Sunday resulted in one man getting seriously injured, while six others also sustained grave injuries.
Britz expressed his shock at the unprecedented nature of the incident. “Kehl has never witnessed an accident of such magnitude before,” he said. The border town is home to around 37,000 residents and is situated across the Rhine from the eastern French metropolis of Strasbourg.
In the early part of the afternoon, the central area of Kehler was witness to some intense and dramatic scenes. Amidst the frenzy of the carnival, a loud detonation was heard. Several people, who were aboard the trailer of the parade van belonging to a carnival group from the Black Forest town of Glottertal, had to jump onto the street to escape the flames.
Britz further shared that he had interacted with members of the affected group and had also inquired about the condition of the injured at the hospital. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the injured, and we dearly hope for their speedy and complete recovery,” he stated.
“The relocation was well underway when I was informed from one of the stands in the market square about a carnival float catching fire at the start of the parade route,” revealed the town hall chief. “Upon receiving the news, I promptly left the scene. By the time I reached the accident site, which was approximately a kilometer away, our fire department had successfully extinguished the fire, and the injured were receiving medical attention from the rescue service and the emergency doctor on duty.”
Based on the information provided by the city, the fire started from inside the car, which was designed to represent a ship. The moving truck involved in the incident suffered severe damage. The city also announced that the man who was seriously injured in the fire has been airlifted to a clinic via a rescue helicopter.
Following the unfortunate incident on Sunday, the actual cause behind it is now under investigation. The moving truck has been secured. Initial statements from the police suggest that the fire may have been caused by the deflagration of an engine in a trailer.
