Hitler's Eagle's Nest retreat catches fire, police say

The fire alarm at the Kehlsteinhaus on the Obersalzberg in Berchtesgaden was triggered at around 9:15 p.m. local time (1915 GMT) on Friday, according to police. Firefighters responding to the alert could already see flames clearly visible as they approached the historic building.

Fire crews faced significant challenges reaching the Kehlsteinhaus, which sits at an elevation of 1,834 meters (6,017 feet) above sea level. Police stated that the building and its immediate vicinity could only be entered while wearing respiratory protective equipment (RPE) due to the fire conditions.

As of now, police reported no injuries from the incident. The site, once Hitler's heavily fortified country residence where he partially wrote "Mein Kampf," remains a potent symbol of the Nazi regime. It is one of few Hitler-era monuments to survive World War II bombing intact and currently houses a popular restaurant.

Criminal Investigation

Bavarian police confirmed that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the fire, which they described as engulfing the Kehlsteinhaus. The incident is now being treated as a criminal case, with authorities working to determine the cause and circumstances of the blaze.

The fire brigades, who were alerted immediately, could already see flames clearly visible at the Kehlsteinhaus as they approached.