On the evening of August 5, 2026, a motorhome based on a Renault Sprinter caught fire on the A3 motorway heading south near Niedernhausen (Rheingau-Taunus district). The 66-year-old driver noticed smoke at the right front wheel and stopped on the hard shoulder. Due to brake failure, the motorhome rolled into a 42-year-old helper's car, causing minor damage (€500). According to some reports, he left the vehicle before the explosions; according to others, a helper's car rolled into the motorhome.
Two gas (propane) cylinders exploded, and the fire spread to roadside bushes and forest, burning about 2,500 square meters. The motorway was fully closed until late evening, causing a queue of about 4 km. Damage to the motorhome is estimated at €25,000, and to the helper's car at €500. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
On August 6 at around 4:30 p.m., a caravan burned out completely at the Nentershausen rest area. The driver and passengers were unharmed. The cause was presumably a technical defect. The fire was extinguished by the fire brigade; traffic on the A3 and the rest area was temporarily fully closed, with restrictions lifted by 8 p.m.