Overview
- The blaze in a Bickendorf workshop Saturday wiped out the Wilde Horde’s rented hall and decades of banners, flags, photos and other fan archives.
- Firefighters from multiple units contained the inferno as parts of the building were deemed at risk of collapse, with one person injured and a dog rescued.
- A GoFundMe drive passed €88,000 by Monday morning toward a €100,000 goal, with gifts from club figures including Thomas Kessler, Lionel Souque, Wilke Stroman and goalkeeper Matthias Köbbing on behalf of the team.
- Investigators suspect welding work started the fire and have ruled out intentional arson, while a structural engineer will decide in the coming days whether the hall must be demolished.
- Members aborted their trip to 1. FC Köln’s match in Munich after learning of the blaze, leaving parts of the club’s most active support absent at the season finale.