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Harvester Burns in Zittauer Gebirge Forest Near Olbersdorf With No Injuries

Firefighters contained the blaze after laying a hose across the narrow‑gauge railway to secure water.

Overview

  • A forestry harvester working between Olbersdorf and Oybin caught fire during logging and burned out after the driver tried an extinguisher and escaped.
  • The Olbersdorf volunteer brigade arrived with three vehicles and ten firefighters and stopped the flames from spreading into the nature park.
  • Leaking fuel and hydraulic fluid slowed the work, so crews set up a hydrant supply and ran a hose over the Zittauer Schmalspurbahn tracks.
  • Train service on the heritage narrow‑gauge line paused during the response, and police now point to a likely technical defect as the cause.
  • Damage is estimated at about €250,000, and officials are checking if polluted soil must be dug out in a protected forest where new machines can cost around €300,000.