Germany's biggest theme park to reopen after large fire forces evacuation

Smoke raises above a building at the 'Europa-Park' in Rust,... — Smoke raises above a building at the 'Europa-Park' in Rust, Germany, Monday, June 19, 2023. A large fire has broken out at a theme park in southwest Germany, with a huge column of black smoke visible from far away. Credit: AP/zema-medien

By The Associated PressUpdated June 20, 2023

BERLIN — Germany's biggest theme park will reopen to visitors on Tuesday after a large fire the day before sent a dense plume of black smoke billowing into the sky that was visible for miles.

The Europa-Park in the town of Rust, near the French border, was to open with only minor restrictions after the blaze Monday, the German news agency dpa reported.

The fire broke out in a control room for an attraction on Monday afternoon at a time when some 25,000 people were visiting the park.

Fire alarms functioned properly and the park was evacuated as some 450 firefighters, police and emergency personnel rushed to the scene, dpa reported. Two firefighters were lightly injured but no visitors were harmed.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation and the area directly around the scene will remain closed while the rest of the park is reopened, officials said.

Europa-Park is a popular tourist destination that drew more than 6 million visitors last year, mostly from Germany, France and Switzerland.

It has areas with themes based on different European countries, and three based on fantasy settings. The park also hosts conferences and is a popular venue for events and television productions.