On Thursday, approximately 130 firefighters were dispatched to combat a fire at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in southwestern Germany. A spokesperson for the facility reported that the blaze originated from the power supply for a particle accelerator.
Thick smoke billowed from the site, situated in Darmstadt, leading to a full evacuation. Remarkably, no injuries were reported, and the release of hazardous materials was avoided, confirmed by the center’s spokesperson.
The fire, attributed to a short circuit in the accelerator’s high-voltage supply, caused significant damage to cables, electrical equipment, and office furnishings. Despite the threat of ionizing radiation, a radiation protection officer remained on standby, with residents advised to take precautionary measures.
(With inputs from agencies.)