International

Fire Engulfs IRIS-T SLM Factory in Berlin, Health Risks Advised

A major fire engulfed a factory in Berlin on Friday, owned by Diehl Metal, a company that manufactures the IRIS-T SLM air defence system currently being supplied by Germany to Ukraine.

The blaze erupted at the industrial facility located on Am Stichkanal Street in the western Berlin-Lichterfelde district, according to German press reports cited by Le Figaro.

Over 160 firefighters responded to the incident. Local journalists from the Berliner Zeitung reported that authorities issued warnings to Berlin residents about a potentially hazardous cloud of toxic smoke spreading from the fire. Residents in a large surrounding area were urged to remain indoors and close their windows.

Berlin fire officials, including spokesperson Adrian Wanzel quoted by Bild, indicated that the smoke plume might contain sulfuric acid and hydrogen cyanide. These substances were reportedly stored within the factory building, which has at least four floors and sustained partial collapse during the fire. Firefighters are currently battling the blaze from outside the structure, outfitted in specialised protective gear.

The IRIS-T SLM air defence system is a critical component of strategic defence planning for NATO countries in Europe. Germany has been supplying these systems to Ukraine to bolster their defences against Russian attacks. According to the defence news website Oryx, Germany has delivered 12 IRIS-T SLM surface-to-air missile systems and 22 associated launchers to Ukraine since October 2022. This particular system ranks among the most significant defence equipment contributions from Kyiv's Western allies.

These missile batteries are also central to the European Sky Shield initiative, a collaborative European missile defence program spearheaded by Germany and involving 19 participating nations. The project aims to establish a framework for joint public procurement of air defence systems for European partners. As reported by Euractiv in December of last year, Slovenia became the first nation to secure two IRIS-T SLM systems, valued at over 200 million euros, according to the Slovenian daily Delo.

Translation by Iurie Tataru

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