The number of injured rose from 39 to 55. Around 40 injured were treated on site. Four people were taken to hospitals for treatment, according to Oliver Schön, chief emergency physician of the Neuwied district. Several visitors to the market first drove home before reporting any complaints.

The cause of the complaints is still unclear. A hazardous material measuring unit was requested from Neuwied. Measurements are currently being carried out in the building. It was suspected that a substance had leaked, but the cause had not yet been clarified. The shopping centre was completely evacuated. On site, 60 firefighters, 60 rescue workers and police and law enforcement officers were on duty.

Because the store is vented to the rear, the "Hoher Weg" street was closed. An adjacent Lidl store was closed as a precaution.

The fire brigade is currently assuming that there was no fire in the shopping centre that would have led to smoke development. "Smoke was not visible in the building and it was not fogged," said Nagel.

The mayor of Unkel, Karsten Fehr, praised the fire brigade. "We had six major fire brigade deployments within a year," he said. The firefighters did a great job. In Unkel there had been a fire in the old people's home Sankt Pantaleon, two roof truss fires and a burning freight train at the station.

City Mayor Gerhard Hausen said on site that he did not rule out that the operation in the shopping center had been deliberately brought about. This was still speculative, but he was counting on an evaluation of the cameras in the market.

Further reporting to follow.

(Original text: Andreas Dyck, Claudia Sülzen, Translation: Mareike Graepel)