Timeline
- July 7, around 4:45 a.m. — a fire broke out at the Hexenhäusl am Rußweiher campsite in Großkotzenreuth (Eschenbach, Neustadt an der Waldnaab district). Neighbors were awakened by loud bangs.
- The fire destroyed five to seven caravans; four permanent pitches burned to the ground, several others were damaged.
- During debris removal, firefighters found charred remains of a man in one of the caravans.
Investigation
The Weiden criminal police, together with experts from the Bavarian State Criminal Office, are investigating. The cause of the fire and the victim's identity remain unknown; DNA analysis results are pending. Due to toxic gases, the Nina warning app was triggered. Firefighters removed and cooled gas cylinders; no explosion occurred. Strong winds hampered investigators.
Police ask witnesses who were near the campsite around 5 a.m. to report suspicious observations. Eschenbach's mayor Markus Gradl confirmed the death on social media.