Parking garage Lungegasse in Cologne will reopen after the fire on September 15th!

Parking garage Lungegasse in Cologne will reopen after the fire on September 15th!

The wait will soon be over: the parking garage in Lungegasse, which is located in the immediate vicinity of Neumarkt, will reopen on September 15th. The operator Contipark has completed all the necessary cleaning and renovation work that was required after a fire in May. This fire, which was caused by a technical defect in a tool on a van on the ground floor of the parking garage, caused a cloud of smoke that was visible from afar and required up to 60 firefighters to fight the fire.

“Fire out” was finally reported around 10:30 a.m., but the traces of the operation are still visible today. The vehicles on the fire floor suffered greatly and were heavily covered in soot. The circumstances were particularly tricky: The transporter not only had gas cartridges on board, but also batteries, which led to several small explosions during the fire-fighting work. Fortunately, no one was transported to hospital, but the clean-up work under the old halls is taking a long time.

Modernization and security

While the first level of the parking garage will initially only remain open as a drive-thru, superficial work is on the agenda during ongoing operations. Static concerns need not be a further concern, according to the operator, who modernized the technical systems before reopening. Despite the challenges that come with working in underground car parks, these comprehensive measures are extremely important. Loud CWS, the electrification of underground parking garages presents a complex safety challenge: unique materials and fuels in combustion engines make these places particularly vulnerable to fires, especially since the electric vehicles have risks such as thermal runaway from lithium-ion batteries on board.

The causes of fires in underground car parks are often electrical in nature, which makes installing charging stations a challenge. It remains to be seen whether the Lungegasse car park will come back to life after the fire and meet the needs of Cologne residents and visitors.

A look into the future

While customers who have a long-term contract have to use the car park on Schildergasse for the time being, many are looking forward to the return of the Lungegasse car park. With modern facilities, a trained security concept and ongoing work, the car park is facing an exciting rebirth. Residents can be curious to see how this important parking facility in the heart of Cologne will develop - one thing is certain: it will be very popular.