Overview
- A combine harvester working on a field between Hettenleidelheim and Tiefenthal caught fire Wednesday, and the 40-year-old driver and his young son escaped the machine unharmed.
- Flames spread from the harvester onto an adjacent harvested field before local crews brought the blaze under control in about 30 minutes.
- Police told reporters they suspect a technical defect in the combine and estimate material damage at roughly €180,000.
- Nine fire vehicles and about 34 volunteer firefighters from Hettenleidelheim-Wattenheim, Tiefenthal, Carlsberg and Neuleiningen plus a police vehicle responded and prevented traffic disruptions.
- Fires during harvest can start from mechanical faults or hot parts on combines, and officials say the rapid local response likely limited damage to the field and nearby areas.