House fire in Pfofeld: Fire brigade fights the flames!

House fire in Pfofeld: Fire brigade fights the flames!

On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at around 3:20 p.m. there was a violent house fire in Pfofeld, in the central district of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen, which was able to set the entire building ablaze. An attentive neighbor noticed the burning attic and immediately alerted the fire department. When the emergency services arrived, they found the flames already blazing, which made rapid intervention necessary. Fortunately, there were no injuries, thanks to the quick action of the fire department, which ultimately brought the fire under control.

The fire department had to remove the roof structure to get to the embers and finally extinguish the flames. The property damage is estimated at a six-figure amount, although the exact amount remains unclear. The house is currently no longer habitable. Initial indications of a possible cause of the fire point to a wood stove; The Ansbach criminal police have started an investigation to clarify the exact cause in Franconia reported.

We recently had another example of the burning problem in Ansbach, where an apartment building burst into flames on Sunday evening. Seven people were injured here, with six of those present suffering from minor smoke intoxication. The fire department responded quickly when residents noticed the fire around 9:45 p.m. and informed the police. When the emergency services arrived, the roof structure was also fully engulfed in flames. Fortunately, they were able to prevent the flames from spreading to neighboring buildings. The operation lasted until the early hours of the morning and attracted around 180 emergency services from the fire department, THW and rescue services. The property damage in Ansbach is estimated at several hundred thousand euros, and the investigation into the cause of the fire is also being carried out by the criminal police Northern Bavaria reported.

The risk of fires

The current incidents in Pfofeld and Ansbach are part of a worrying trend that, according to the vfdb – an association that assesses the risks of building fires in Germany – shows a significant increase in residential building fires. Statistics show that kitchens are the most common place for fires, accounting for almost half of all home fires. Fire damage statistics serve as an important basis for fire protection decisions and could help to avoid such incidents in the future.

What is particularly noteworthy is that 83% of fires occur up to the second floor and operations at night, between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., often result in significant damage, although they occur less frequently. These findings not only call for improved fire protection, but also highlight the need to address modern fire risks, such as those posed by electromobility and energy storage.

Given the ever-increasing dangers of residential fires, the active participation of everyone involved – from fire departments to the residents themselves – is essential to increase safety and prevent future tragedies.